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<title>Jubilee's Diary of Daily Jubilation!</title>
<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation</link>
<description>Catster diary for the cat Jubilee</description>
<language>en</language>
<copyright>Copyright 2013 by Jubilee &amp; Catster</copyright>
<pubDate>Sun, 19 May 2013 16:14:03 PDT</pubDate>
<generator>Catster Pet-o-matic Gennie - http://www.catster.com</generator>
<ttl>360</ttl>

	<item>
		<title>Shiny lights and sparkly ribbons!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/704108</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 20 Dec 2010 21:32:49 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/704108</guid>
		<description>Yesterday Mom draped our living room in strings of colorful lights, and wrapped lights all around ou ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Yesterday Mom draped our living room in strings of colorful lights, and wrapped lights all around our little artificial Xmas tree (Mom calls it our "everlasting Yule shrub").   I was interested!  I watched closely to make sure Mom did a good job, and I made a few aesthetic suggestions, which Mom wisely followed -- mostly.  She had to rearrange one string of lights because Skeeter was chewing on it, and I had told her not to hang lights along the banister where Skeeter could reach them to begin with.  Next time I bet she will listen to my advice, MOL!

Then Mom got a big box from the closet.  A box!  I love boxes!  Then it got even better!  Mom started taking out little crinkly bundles of colorful tissue paper and unwrapping that wonderful crinkly paper to reveal *gasp!* pretty shiny sparkly things!  Of course I had to supervise this operation.  

"Mom," I said, jumping onto the coffee table where Mom was carefully arranging the sparkly baubles, "some of these ornaments look very fragile.  Perhaps I should test their durability by knocking them onto the floor?"  

Mom declined my offer, for some reason.  

"In that case," I suggested, "how about I sit in this box lid, to keep it from flying away, in case there is an earthquake or something?"

Mom agreed that this would be a big help.  So I made sure the box lid didn't fly away until dinner time.  Plus, while I was making sure the box lid didn't fly away, I gave Mom advice about where each ornament should go on the tree.   It is a good thing I am such an efficient multi-tasker!

So now, with my assistance, the holidays have officially arrived at our house!  Mom is done with the thing she calls "final exams" ... she calls them final, but they have been happening twice a year for a few years now, so, I'm just saying, where's the "final"? ...  And that means that the books are (temporarily) put away, the tree and the lights are up, and there is shiny paper and ribbon everywhere!  Even though there are not many presents this year, we are all feeling merry!  Mom says the best present is love, and we sure have plenty of that!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>WOOT!!!!!  I was CAT OF THE DAY!!!!!!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/663826</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 31 Mar 2010 09:59:44 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/663826</guid>
		<description>Oh wow, I can't believe it!  What an honor!  

Thank you everyone for all the pawsome gifts and st ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Oh wow, I can't believe it!  What an honor!  

Thank you everyone for all the pawsome gifts and stuff!  *tears up*  I feel so loved!  

p.s.,  I've been writing more stories and I'm thinking I should start posting them here in my diary again -- so stay tuned!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>We are back!!!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/499879</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:46:09 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/499879</guid>
		<description>Hey everycat, 

Mom is back in school and now that she is gone all day, Skeeter and I miss our Cat ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hey everycat, 

Mom is back in school and now that she is gone all day, Skeeter and I miss our Catster pals so much that we begged and begged her until she said we could come and play again.   We have had lots of adventures since we disappeared back in February, and I'm sure it will make a great story, but in the meantime I'm just glad to be back.

New pictures and more, coming soon!

Love and purrs to all, 
Jubilee]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 33</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/421409</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 4 Feb 2008 17:30:02 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/421409</guid>
		<description>*** The story of How Fela Tamed Humans concludes! ***

&acirc;Fela traveled far and wide, fulfilling t ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** The story of How Fela Tamed Humans concludes! ***

âFela traveled far and wide, fulfilling the purpose that Lady Bast had given her.  She had many adventures, and befriended many humans.   And her many litters of kittens stayed in their human homes when Fela moved on.  

âThe neighbors of the humans with cats noticed that their neighborsâ kitchens, granaries, and barns had far fewer mice and rats than their own, and they admired the little animals who provided such effective rodent control.  They wanted cats of their own, to live in their houses and hunt their mice.  Felaâs kittens, and their kittens, soon warmed themselves by the fire wherever there were humans to build one.  Too weak to be dangerous to humans, even human infants, but lethally efficient against mice, rats, and other vermin; small enough to sleep in a basket or curl up on a lap; affectionate yet independent; naturally clean, and each one uniquely beautiful; they provided the humans with both companionship and mouse-free homes, and in exchange the humans happily sheltered, fed, and cared for them.  

âAnd we have lived with humans ever since.  The humans have bulldozed brother Jaguarâs rain forests, and plowed brother Lionâs savannahs, into grazing land for cattle.  They have paved sister Cougarâs woodlands and deserts and and sister Tigerâs jungles.  Only we, the littlest cats, go where the humans go, and only we live under their protection.  And that is because of Fela, the smallest and weakest of Bastâs children, the cat who tamed humans.

âSo you see, little ones,â Mama Kitty concluded, âsometimes itâs better to be small and clever than big and strong.â

âMy mother always used to say that the moral was to play to your strengths, when she told that story,â Tibby murmured thoughtfully.  

âMy mother said itâs that adaptability is the key to survival,â said Gromit.

I wondered what other stories my mother hadnât had a chance to tell me.  

By this time, the eastern sky was starting to lighten, and the stars were fading.  We were still heading south and slightly east along the steep hillside.  The leaders showed no sign of slowing our pace through the dense undergrowth.  

Now that Mama Kitty had finished the story, Tibby and I dropped back to join Baby Girl, Bella, and Ham at the rear of the group.  One of Hamâs duties as rear guard was to leave occasional trail markers that other cats could identify and follow.  He had just finished spraying one such marker against a beech tree and was trotting to catch up again.  

âGood story,â Ham commented as he caught up with us.  The story had briefly distracted him from whatever heâd been worrying about and he looked a little calmer.  He, Bella, and Baby Girl had all heard the tale of how Fela tamed humans before, and had listened from their positions at the rear.  

âMy mother never told that part about Felaâs first kittens dying,â Baby Girl said.  âShe was way overprotective.â

âMy mother included a part about why we are better than dogs,â Bella said. âIt was something like, âMan bred Dog from Wolf to be his slave, to help him hunt, and herd, and fight.  But we came to humans of our own free will, and we belong only to ourselves.ââ

We kept walking.  We ducked beneath low, brushy branches and squeezed through thorny thickets.  We crossed a narrow, twisting road, and a little while after that we crossed a broader road, but both were dark and quiet.  We met no other cats, and Ham began to look worried again.  

âI wouldnât be too concerned about it yet,â Toffy said, when he and Diego paid us a visit just before sunrise.  âWe have five nights before the Festival of Bast, and the Green Preserve is a big place.â

âThey may already be waiting for us at Sleeping Cat Mountain,â Diego added.

Ham nodded, but didnât look convinced.  

âYeah, maybe that other human gave them all a ride there, and fed them foie gras on the way,â Bella said acidly, which got a nervous laugh from the rest of us but failed to lighten the creases in Hamâs forehead.

At sunrise, we paused in a clearing to face the sun and sing.

	âOur Journey greets the waking day
	With Lady Bast to lead us,
	We travel and we hunt and play
	With Lady Bast to feed us.

	âWe walk in places weâve never been
	With Lady Bast beside us,
	We remember things weâve never seen
	With Lady Bast to guide us.

	âThe night is ours, the stars and moon
	With Lady Bast above us,
	The day is ours, the sun at noon
	With Lady Bast to love us.â

Our voices were a bit tentative, but no human jumped out from the nearby eucalyptus trees.  And we walked on.

STAY TUNED!!!! Day Four of the Journey is about to begin!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 32</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/419251</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:19:26 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/419251</guid>
		<description>&acirc;That very night, Fela left her pack,&acirc; Mama Kitty went on with her story.  By now, the adult cat ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ âThat very night, Fela left her pack,â Mama Kitty went on with her story.  By now, the adult cats were listening as intently as the kittens.  âShe went to find the village and the house she had seen in her dream.  She walked a long way and searched for a long time, and she had many adventures along the way.  But at last she came to a cluster of low mud-brick houses, nestled in the bend of a river and surrounded by cultivated fields and orchards.  

âIt was night, and Fela walked through the village while the humans slept, just as she had in her dream.  She caught a mouse as it wriggled through a crack in a granary wall.  It was too stuffed with barley to run, and Fela devoured it hungrily.  Then she walked on.  And soon she found herself in front of a familiar doorway.  

âFela did not go into the house.  She squeezed beneath a wooden door in the wall of the pen where the goats and chickens slept, and then jumped over a gate on the other side of the pen, and found herself behind the the house, in a modest but pleasant courtyard, enclosed by a mud-brick wall.  In the courtyard were a well, a few fruit trees, a beehive, and several buildings, smaller and rougher than the house itself.  One was a barn, one was a kitchen with a mud-brick oven, and the rest held heaps of grain and large clay vats of bubbling, yeasty-smelling liquid .  All were alive with mice.  Fela smiled to herself, beginning to form a plan.  

âThen she climbed a fig tree and made herself comfortable on a branch with a view of the door that led from the house to the courtyard.  She slept the last hours until dawn, when she was waked by the crowing of roosters.  Soon, an old woman came out of the house, scratching herself and grumbling.  The old woman shuffled across the courtyard and drew water from the well, filling a clay pot, which she lugged into the kitchen building.  After a moment, smoke began trickling from the ovenâs flue.  

âWhile the old woman was stoking the kitchen fire, a little girl emerged from the house, carrying a basket over one arm and balancing a clay pot on her head.  She had brown skin, and straight black hair that fell over her shoulders, and she wore a linen shift adorned with beads around its square neckline.  Fela watched as the girl slipped into the animal pen, stashed the clay pot in a corner, and strewed corn from the basket around the pen, drawing the hens from their nests so that she could gather their eggs and put them into the basket.  Then the girl exchanged the basket for the pot and began milking the nanny goat into the clay vessel.  As she milked, she sang to herself, and spoke affectionately to the goat.  Fela smelled the fresh milk and licked her chops.  When the goatâs udder was emptied, the girl gave the goat a friendly pat, then replaced the sloshing pot on her head, picked up the basket of eggs, and carefully walked back into the house.

âNext, a woman walked into the courtyard, carrying a baby boy on her hip.  Like the girl, she had brown skin and long black hair and was wearing a linen shift.  There was a necklace of blue stones around her neck.  The boy had a tuft of black hair and shiny black eyes, and he cooed and babbled as the woman carried him into the kitchen with her.

âFinally, a man left the house.  He stretched in the early sunlight, a sturdy man with a linen wrap around his hips, his broad chest and shoulders bare, his hair shorn close, and he plucked a fig from the branch below the one where Fela was hiding as he strode towards the buildings that held the grain and the fermenting vats of beer.  

âAll that day, Fela watched the brewer and his family.  She could not understand their speech, but as she listened to them she began to sense the feelings and intentions that the words carried.  She watched what made each human laugh and frown, and she made her plan. 

âThat night, Fela ate her fill of the mice in the brewery.  And at sunrise, when the little girl came to feed the chickens and milk the nanny goat, Fela was waiting in the courtyard.  Fela couldnât purr yet in those days, but she mewed sweetly and rolled onto her back at the girlâs bare feet to show that she meant no harm, then twined tamely around the girlâs ankles, and the girl laughed with delight. 

âLater that morning, Fela made sure that the brewer saw her killing a large mouse.  Instead of eating it, she placed it by the barn door like an offering while the man looked on, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

ââNow,â said Fela to herself, âthe girl will tell her mother and grandmother how beautiful and playful and affectionate I am.  And the man will tell his wife and mother how clever and independent and useful I am.â

âSoon Fela had made herself a familiar sight in the brewerâs courtyard.  When the grandmother tried to shoo Fela away, grumbling that wild animals didnât belong with people, the girl cried that Fela was far too friendly to be wild, and Fela stayed.  When the wife tried to shoo Fela away, worried that she might hurt the baby, the man pointed out how many mice and rats Fela killed, and Fela stayed.  She caught more mice than she could eat, and she regularly left surplus carcasses by the barn door to remind the brewer who was responsible for the sudden drop in the rodent population. 

âBefore many days had gone by, Fela allowed the little girl to pet her, and as the child stroked Felaâs soft fur and caressed her ears, Fela felt the warmth of human love for the first time.  Not long after that, the man smiled down at her as she deposited a freshly-killed mouse at his feet, and said, âThank you, Bright Eyes,â giving Fela her first human name.  That evening, and every evening from then on, a dish of scraps appeared by the back door for Fela.

âFela was still not allowed into the house, however.  She slept in the barn, biding her time.  One afternoon, when the family was napping through the hottest part of the day, Fela saw a big rat creep across the courtyard and into the house.  She followed the rat inside and pounced on it just as it was about to bite the sleeping babyâs cheek with its long yellow teeth.  The rat fought hard, squealing and biting, before Fela snapped its neck.  The commotion woke the family, and when the brewerâs wife saw the dead rat by the cradle and Fela standing over its body, bloody and panting, she swooped Fela up in her arms and tended the little catâs wounds with her own hands.  After that, Fela was welcome to come and go in the house as she liked.  Only the grandmother still muttered at her and shooed her out of the way.

âFela waited and watched, and one evening, when the grandmother was sitting by the hearth, wrapped in a woolen cloak and staring into the embers, with loneliness radiating from her like the heat from the fire, Fela simply jumped onto the grandmotherâs lap, landing as lightly as a leaf, and rubbed her cheek against the old womanâs wrinkled hand before snuggling against her and falling asleep.  The grandmother patted Fela cautiously, then relaxed beneath the catâs soft warmth, and her face softened as she stroked Felaâs back.

âThat night, the grandmother fixed up a soft cushion by the fire for Fela, just like the one in Felaâs dream.  

âFela lived happily with the brewerâs family for many months.  When her season came, she slipped over the courtyard wall one moonless night, and in an orchard outside the village she met a large, handsome brown tom with green-gold eyes.  She was back on her cushion by the hearth before daybreak.  When her kittens were born, they were strong and healthy, and Fela's human family was almost as proud and delighted as Fela herself.  Fela taught her kittens to play and hunt, and sang to them, and told them stories of Bast.  

"One night, shortly after the kittens were weaned, Lady Bast walked with Fela in a dream once more.  It seemed to Fela that she left her sleeping body by the hearth and walked alongside a very large and very beautiful Abyssinian cat whose eyes flashed gold and green.  Fela and Bast padded out of the house and through the village, and then they left the village and climbed into the sky, walking among the stars.  

âFela looked down at the earth far below, and saw the flickering hearths and fires of many human settlements.  She looked into Lady Bastâs eyes and saw the fires reflected there. 

ââYour journey is just beginning, little daughter,â Bast said.

âWhen Fela woke up, she remembered her dream, and her heart filled with sadness.  But she knew what she had to do.

âThat very night, Fela left her kittens, and left the brewerâs house.  She set out across the world to find other humans to tame.â

STAY TUNED!!!!  The Journey continues!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 31</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/418467</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:33:40 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/418467</guid>
		<description>We changed course, now heading straight across hillside rather than up it, through scrub brush and p ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ We changed course, now heading straight across hillside rather than up it, through scrub brush and poison-ivy and wild blackberry vines, well below the line of the eucalyptus trees where instead of a comforting screen of undergrowth there were only slippery, pungent-smelling leaves underfoot, whose acrid reek burned our noses and stung our eyes.  Even here, on this steep slope, we sometimes had to detour around big houses or clusters of small houses that peered over the San Francisco Bay like sea birds from their high perches.  Here and there we crossed hiking trails, some neglected but some with fresh tracks of bicycle, human, and dog.  We never used the trails, but stayed in the undergrowth, traveling as only cats can, while the Great Cat climbed higher in the sky.

As always, Ham brought up the rear of the pack, with Bella and I, joined by Baby Girl, keeping him company.  Bella and I had become good friends with the clever, spirited Baby Girl, especially Bella, because both of them were outstanding hunters.  Tibby dropped back to join us every so often, then shuttling a length or so ahead to rejoin Gromit, Hudson, and Captain Tommaso.  Diego and Toffy sometimes walked with the group of younger males, sometimes dropped back to join us at the rear.  Fafnir leaped constantly between the young toms and Wiggy, who kept close to Pepper as always.  Pepper was helping Mama Kitty keep Zippie and Laurie corralled, so Wiggy was helping too.  Wiggy and Jack formed furry barriers on either side of the kittens, with Mama Kitty and Pepper ahead and behind, hemming them in and shushing their frequent protests.  When the way was too tightly tangled for this arrangement, Pepper and Mama Kitty bookended the kittens as they proceeded single-file.  At the head of the group, the three leaders spoke only to discuss directions, and then tersely.  Ham, too, was quieter than usual.  

Iâd apologized to Ham for my mistake, but he didnât seem to hear me.  The leaders had just returned to the clearing and Orangina had told us to get moving.   Cats were stretching, milling around.   I trotted along by his side as he mechanically started walking.  âHam, when I said next year itâll be you, Iâm really sorry,  I didnât realize, I thought you were just --â  

But he wasnât looking at me; he was staring at the leaders as they moved to the front of the pack.

âHam?  Whatâs the matter?â I asked, headbutting his shoulder to get his attention.

He shook his head convulsively.  âNothing.  Donât worry.â  He looked down at me; I must have looked skeptical.  He sighed.  âIâll tell you later.  Come on, letâs go.â  

Since then Iâd tried a couple of times to get him to tell me what was going on, and heâd just shake his head slightly with a no-nonsense look in his green eyes.  Bella and Baby Girl instinctively ignored him, but giggled less than usual.  All of which made Tibbyâs attitude of subdued but determined cheerfulness both welcome and uncomfortable during his visits.   

We hadnât stopped to hunt since we left the clearing where we met Bea, but rodents and lizards scurried and scuttled in the thick bushes, so it wasnât too difficult to catch a snack.  When we were thirsty we nibbled at green shoots of leaves.  Most of the time, we couldnât see the sky, but when we occasionally emerged from the brush we looked at the stars to check our course, keeping the Great Cat over our right shoulders.  As the constellation rose higher, we sometimes saw shooting stars, which seemed to fall from the body of the Great Cat; Bastâs kittens falling to earth.  

As grey pre-dawn seeped over the eastern horizon, we still hadnât met any other cats, but we hadnât come across any more humans, either, and the group was weary but no longer tense.  Even Orangina, Felix, and Tweak had relaxed somewhat, although Ham was still acting mysterious.  To keep the kittens quiet and distract them from their tired paws, Mama Kitty told the kittens a story, one that Iâd never heard before.  My mother hadnât told it to me before we were separated.     Glad of an excuse to get away from the brooding Ham, I slipped ahead, moving closer to Mama Kitty and the kittens to listen.  Tibby followed me, leaving Bella and Baby Girl to raise their eyebrows at each other.  

âAs you kittens know,â Mama Kitty began, her voice soft but clear in the summer air, âLady Bast is the Great Cat, the Mother of all catkind.  Lions and tigers, cougars and jaguars, lynxes and cheetahs, ocelots, servals, leopards, the saber-toothed cats who no longer hunt, and all other cats, large and small, fell to earth as Bast gave birth to them.  Bast loved all her children, but her favorite, truth be told, was the smallest, youngest, and weakest cat, the runt of her celestial litter.  This was a little cat named Fela.  Some say she had orange stripes,â Mama Kitty winked at Zippie, âothers say she was a pretty little tabby with a pink nose and white paws,â with a smile at Laurie, who beamed.

âFela was small, but she was also brave and clever.  She had to be, because life was hard for a little cat back then.  The big cats had plenty of territory, filled with plenty of plump, slow-moving food, because humans had not yet paved over the hunting grounds.  Humans were mostly just an entertaining variety of prey to the big cats in those days.  But while her brother Lion hunted gazelle on the savannas, and her sister Tiger hunted boar in the jungle, Fela and her pack hunted the smallest rodents and other scurrying vermin at the ragged edges of the desert and forest.  Their meals were hard to catch, and seldom tasty; often barely more than a stringy mouthful of fur and bone.  Jackals and hyenas menaced them, venomous snakes lurked in the tall grass, and mongooses and weasels competed with them for the same unsatisfying meals.  Even though Fela was a skilled hunter, swift and silent and merciless, she often went hungry.

âWhen the time came for Fela to bear her first litter, it was during a cold, wet spring, when all the rodents stayed underground and game was scarce.  Fela could barely catch enough food to survive.  Her kittens were born still and silent, never drawing breath or tasting milk.â

Laurie and Zippie stared at Mama Kitty, their eyes vast saucers.  I was starting to understand why my own mother must have been saving this story for when I was older.  

Mama Kitty continued, âFela grieved for her kittens, and she prayed to her mother Bast.  âGreat Mother of All Cats, I call to you in my suffering, and I call to you in the name of all who are the smallest of your children.  Why must we suffer and starve for being small and weak?  Please, Mother Bast, show me a better way for our kind to live.â

âAnd Bast, in her den in the sky, heard her daughterâs prayer.  That night, she came to earth and walked with Fela in a dream.  

âFela dreamed that she was walking with a very large, very beautiful Abyssinian cat whose eyes flashed emerald green and molten gold in the flickering firelight of a human village.   Fela had never been near a human before, but with Bast at her side she walked without fear among the buildings where the humans slept, and the dusty path seemed somehow familiar to Fela in her dream.   They walked past barns and granaries where fat, slow mice loafed around the doors.  Then they approached a low hut made of clay bricks.  There were chickens and a pair of goats in a pen attached to the house, and smoke rose from an opening in the flat roof.  At the door of the house, a linen curtain rippled in the night breeze.  With Bast at her side, Fela entered the house, and inside she saw herself, well-fed and healthy, curled up on a soft cushion by the hearth, sleeping peacefully.  

âBast turned to Fela.  âDo you have your answer now, daughter?â she asked, and her eyes shifted  from green to gold in the glow of the dying fire.

âWhen Fela woke up, she remembered her dream, and she knew what she had to do.â

STAY TUNED!!!!!  The tale of how Fela first tamed humans continues!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 30!!!!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/417209</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:50:42 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/417209</guid>
		<description>*** Welcome back at long last, gentle readers!  We&acirc;re only on the second night of our Journey to t ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** Welcome back at long last, gentle readers!  Weâre only on the second night of our Journey to the Festival of Bast, but already weâve encountered adventure we didnât expect!  For one thing, we met Bea, a human who has the rare ability to communicate with cats.  Bea seems very kind, but thereâs another human out there with the same ability, and from what we know about him, heâs not nice at all!  At the end of Chapter 29, before our holiday hiatus, Bea had just finished telling us her story. ***

There was an awkward silence.  Oranginaâs expression was carefully inscrutable, but Felix was frowning thoughtfully and Tweak looked as though sheâd just discovered a live hedgehog in her food dish.

âThank you,â Orangina said evenly.  âVery illuminating.â

Still sitting cross-legged on the ground, Bea shifted uncomfortably.  âPlease forgive me for asking,â she said, âbut, whatever this is, this Journey you all are on.  Is this some sort of  a ...â  she groped for an analogy, â... a pilgrimage?  To someplace like a Mecca for cats?  Or ... or a cat version of the Eleusinian Mysteries?â

âLetâs hear it for that superior human intellect,â murmured Baby Girl, who was gnawing her back toes.  Bella giggled.

Felixâs frown deepened.  Oranginaâs expression remained inscrutable.

âWe agreed to hear your tale, not to tell you ours,â Tweak said, her tone no warmer than before. 

If Kimba had been there, he probably would have said something like, âOur rituals were old before Mecca was built and before the gods of Greece were born.â  A few cats began distractedly grooming themselves to avoid looking Bea in the eye as she sighed and got to her feet, gingerly straightening her stiff knees.  I would have but I was worried that it might seem rude.  Instead, I examined our surroundings.  Looking around now, in the light of the waning crescent moon, I saw that the clearing in which we were sitting was actually a bend in an untended hiking trail.  That explained how Bea had descended the steep hillside.  The occasional whoosh of a passing car seemed to come from far above.  We cats were clustered in a loose and shifting crescent around Bea, the leaders out front.  At the moment, Ham, Bella, and I were at the lower end, along with Tibby and Baby Girl.  Captain Tommaso, Hudson, Gromit, Diego, Toffy, and Jack were next to us, then Tweakâs family in one furry pile.  The two kittens were at the upper end, and Mama Kitty, who had appointed herself their guardian pro tem and took her duties seriously, was restraining them from approaching Bea more closely.  Unlike the adult cats, Zippie and Laurie were staring at Bea with profound interest, whispering intently to one another without taking their eyes off her. 

Bea looked down uncertainly at the group of cats in front of her, as if she wanted to say something but was afraid of offending us.  

âRemember your promise,â Felix prompted gently.

âYou donât have to go home, but you canât stay here!â Bella added helpfully.  A few cats snickered, but Bea looked so dejected that I felt bad for laughing.

âYes.  Sorry.  Well ... goodbye.â  After another second of bemused hesitation Bea switched on her flashlight and turned back up the trail.  We watched her trudge away, her flashlight beam casting spidery shadows, until she rounded a curve in the path and disappeared from view.

âThat was weird,â I whispered to Tibby.  

âReally?  In what way?â Tibby whispered back.  I giggled at that.  So did Baby Girl and Bella, but Ham was watching the leaders with a furrow in his brow.

Orangina turned briskly to Felix and Tweak.  âWe should get moving.  Weâre way behind schedule.â

âJust a minute,â Tweak said, fixing Orangina with a steely look, her tail lashing.

Orangina impassively met Tweakâs gaze.  She might not have Kimbaâs gift for cryptic bon mots, but she had certainly mastered his air of imperturbability.  âCertainly, sister.  Ham, keep watch.â

The three leaders withdrew into the bushes for a conference, Felix following the two females, his tail low and tense.  Ham watched them go, his brow still furrowed.  

Figuring that he was still regretting not being a leader, I said, âItâll be you next year, Ham,â headbutting him.  He smiled, but his eyes werenât in it, and he kept glancing at the undergrowth where Orangina, Felix, and Tweak were enchambered as he padded off to patrol the area.

Bella rolled her eyes at him, flopped onto her haunches, and began washing her front paws.

The Great Cat was edging into view over the eucalyptus trees rimming the northeastern hills.  The Great Lion (known to humans as Leo, Leun, Aru, Arye, Artan, Ser, and other names meaning âLion,â thanks to one influential ancient astronomer who also happened to talk with cats) had finished his hunt for the evening and returned to his cave beyond the western horizon.  A shooting star streaked across the sky, then another.

Tibby saw them too, and nudged me.  âLook, Jubilee, falling kittens.â  

Those were the first signs of Kittenfall weâd seen that night, which ordinarily might have called for a song or a story.  But no one felt like singing.  

I was hungry, my paws were sore, and my legs ached.  Beaâs story kept running through my head like a dream that clings after waking.  I could picture Bea crouching outside the basement window, listening to our celebration as the cats we had rescued from Docâs lab were reunited with their loved ones.  Just two days ago, I had crowded in among the other cats to eat Beaâs food, and I had joined them in casually discussing plans for the Journey and for the Festival of Bast itself while she listened.  Not even Kimba had suspected that Bea was motivated by anything other than kindness.  There was no way Bella could have known that Bea could hear us, no way Orangina could have known that Bea had followed us back to the burned house. 

My stomach suddenly twisted with realization.  The expression on Hamâs face when the leaders went into council had been concerned, not wistful.  He wasnât jealous that was wasnât taking part in the meeting, he was worried about its outcome.  And I had misinterpreted his reaction and said completely the wrong thing.  A hot rush of embarrassment flooded me, but was quickly chilled by icy prickles of anxiety.  I looked around for Ham but he was nowhere in sight, still on patrol.

âTweak seemed upset,â I ventured, keeping my voice low.  

Baby Girlâs tail twitched.  âI donât blame her.â  Then she remembered that I was in Oranginaâs group and added, âBut none of this is Oranginaâs fault.â

âOf course it isnât,â Tibby said firmly, and I smiled at him gratefully.

âItâs so creepy,â Bella muttered.  âThat woman spying on us.â  

âI wonder just how much she knows, really,â Gromit mused.

âToo much, in any case,â Bella replied darkly.

âWhoâs she going to tell?â Diego pointed out, reasonable as always.

âWe donât know who,â Pepper snarled.  âThatâs exactly the point.â

âHoney, weâve talked about your trust issues with humans,â Wiggy murmured, but Pepper gave a skeptical snort and returned to grooming her tail with elaborate concentration.

âShe promised to leave us alone,â Captain Tommaso said.  

âYes, and humans are a species known for being trustworthy,â Bella retorted sarcastically.

"She said I was handsome," boasted Fafnir.

Jack rolled onto his side and said, âIf she already knows where weâre going, maybe she can drive us there.â  Zippie and Laurie both started begging to ride up front and Mama Kitty hushed them with a dangerously narrow-eyed glare at Jack, who quickly protested, âJoking! Joke!â 

It made my fur crawl to imagine just how much Bea had probably overheard.  Iâd never really thought about the Festival of Bast being such a big secret, though; probably because Iâd never thought Iâd be discussing it with a human.  Sure, it made sense for a group of traveling cats to stay out of sight in the city.  But what could it hurt to tell Bea about Bast and the Great Lion and Kittenfall?  Maybe it was because Iâd only experienced one Festival of Bast, and that one had been pretty ragtag, no Journey, just a few hungry strays singing in an alley; maybe the older cats knew. 

âWhatâs the holdup, anyway?â Hudson wondered.  âThe leadersâ powwows donât usually take this long.â

âIâm sure theyâll be back soon,â Toffy said in an undertone, glancing at the place in the poison-ivy where the three cats had disappeared.

A moment later, though, there was a piercing growl from inside the thicket and the vines rustled sharply.  We all turned our heads towards the noise as Tweakâs voice rose angrily, âAbsolutely not!â  Then her volume dropped again, and we could overhear no more.

The silence that descended after Beaâs story had been warm and comfortable compared to the silence that descended now.  We all waited, grooming nervously and avoiding one anotherâs eyes. After a few minutes, Ham slipped from the undergrowth and rejoined the group.  Before I could say anything to him, the leaders returned to the clearing, their faces stiff.

âAs I was saying,â Orangina said, calm as always, âWeâre way behind schedule.  Letâs go.â  

*** STAY TUNED!!!!  How much does Bea know?  What were the leaders arguing about?  And why is it so important that humans donât know about the Festival of Bast?  (Sorry this chapter took so long, but hey, weâre still waiting for LOST...) ***]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>OMC, I'm on SOMC!!!!!  Again!  Twice!!!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/408621</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 2 Jan 2008 13:38:02 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/408621</guid>
		<description>Mom hasn't looked at Stuff On My Cat in a few days and totally missed these two groovy pictures of m ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom hasn't looked at Stuff On My Cat in a few days and totally missed these two groovy pictures of me when they were posted -- many purrs of thanks to my good friend Diego for noticing them and sending me the links!  You rock, Diego! 

http://www.stuffonmycat.com/index.php?itemid=6615

http://www.stuffonmycat.com/index.php?itemid=6608

Mom adopted Skeeter this morning, so it looks like I'm just going to have to get used to him *sigh.*  He has his very own diary now, so he can tell you all about what he's up to, and I'll be returning to "The Festival of Bast!"  

So, as always, STAY TUNED!!!!]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>PS!!!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/407764</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:51:45 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/407764</guid>
		<description>Mom decided that it was high time Skeeter got his own Catster page!  She will be formally adopting h ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom decided that it was high time Skeeter got his own Catster page!  She will be formally adopting him on Wednesday!  So please check out his page and invite him to be friends! 

http://www.catster.com/cats/691833

Purrs!
Jubilee]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Happy New Year's Eve!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/407754</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:19:26 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/407754</guid>
		<description>Happy New Year, everycat!  Lots to report!

First and foremost: Mom is home!!!!  She arrived late  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Happy New Year, everycat!  Lots to report!

First and foremost: Mom is home!!!!  She arrived late Saturday night -- more like early Sunday morning -- about 4 a.m..  I flew down the stairs to greet her, meowing like crazy!  She dropped her bags, picked me up, and held me tight, and I purred and purred and gave her kisses all over her face, and wanted her to never put me down again!  But Skeeter was right at the kitchen gates, chirping for attention, and besides the whole house smelled like a stinky litterbox.  So I hung around right outside the kitchen while Mom cleaned poop off the floor and dumped out Skeeterâs dirty litter and scrubbed his box with soap and hot water and refilled it with clean litter.  Then she came upstairs and dumped and scrubbed and refilled my litterbox, too.  I followed closely at her heels and made sure she gave me frequent pats and attention! 

Then, you wonât believe it, Mom gave Skeeter a B-A-T-H!  His hind feet and legs and his little rump were all caked with poop.  (Dad is lucky that Mom missed him too much to be very mad at him.)  Mom put a plastic dishpan in the kitchen sink, ran a few inches of warm water, and into the water Skeeter went!  And, okay, this is the part you REALLY wonât believe, but I was watching from the kitchen door and saw the whole thing, and I swear to Bast itâs true, the little freak actually LIKED it!  From what I saw, he wasnât crazy about the noise of the running water, but once Mom turned off the faucet and settled him into the tub, he didnât mind it at all.  She supported his front half with one hand under his chest and he didnât even struggle while with her other hand she sponged the petrified poo from his rear half, as gently but firmly as she could.  She didnât have any kitty-safe shampoo (now it makes sense why the word âpooâ is in there, ha ha) so she just had to use warm water -- if anyone has a recommendation sheâd be grateful.  I, of course, have never needed a bath in my life except for those I endured in the shelter hospital as part of my treatment for ringworm (hey, it can happen to the best of us; itâs nothing to be ashamed of).  Anyway, then she lifted him out and wrapped him in a towel and he actually let her dry him off even though I could tell from his face that he just wanted to shake the water from his fur like any other self-respecting cat.  Finally she let him loose and he gave himself a good shake.  

After that, Mom was all mine!  We went upstairs and got in bed (it was almost 6 a.m. by this time), and I cuddled up close to her and didnât move until she woke up five hours later.

When Mom woke up, she helped me take down my Christmas decorations and put up my pretty snowflake theme.  We even found a track of cats singing âAuld Lang Syneâ for New Yearâs!  Then Mom decided that it was time to see how much progress Iâd made in my feelings towards Skeeter.  The only time Skeeter and I were face-to-face while she was gone was once when Dad left the top baby gate down while he went to the bathroom and found himself with two hissing cats at his ankles!  Well, maybe itâs because Iâm so relieved and happy that Mom is home, maybe itâs that she adjusted her attitude and expectations while she was gone (more on that in a minute), maybe itâs the lack of her influence during her absence, maybe itâs just the benefit of ten days.  But things are much better.  Yes, I still growl and hiss at Skeeter; yes, I still take a swing at him if he gets too close.  But I growl and hiss a lot less frequently, and the âLine of Death,â as Mom has wittily titled it, has gotten smaller -- Skeeter almost has to actually be within paw-reach now before I take a swipe.  And I havenât actually scratched him again.  Mom says that as long as she doesnât see blood, sheâs content.

I am actually relaxed enough around him now to allow Mom to apply positive reinforcement: Mom engages me in active play, like with a cat-dancer, with Skeeter in the room, with lots of praise to me for playing and not growling.  Then Mom lets Skeeter play with the cat-dancer in front of me, and gives me praise and petting for every few seconds I go without growling or hissing.  Same with clicker-games: she carries on both lessons simultaneously, running back and forth to each of us, in separate rooms.  If weâre just hanging out (Skeeter has rapidly figured out that most of the fun happens where Mom is, which during the day means upstairs in the office or bedroom, which also means that Iâm probably nearby) Mom gives me extravangant praise and petting and occasional treats for stuff like not growling when Skeeter crosses my path, or plays with my toys, or uses my litterbox, or climbs onto my bed or treehouse, or when Mom holds and pets him.  Before Momâs trip, I would get too upset with Skeeter in the room to even let myself be petted, so Mom is pretty proud of me!  If I growl or hiss, Mom says âBe nice, Jubilee,â or âNo need for that, Jubilee,â in her Stern Voice; if I swat or charge at him, I get a faceful of misty water from the Bad Cat Bottle (formerly the Bad Girl Bottle, renamed in the interest of gender equity since Skeeter is a boy).  We have definitely had a few squabbles that called for the Bad Cat Bottle and a loud âJubilee, NO!â from Mom.  Mom suspects at this point that we are in kind of a Zenoâs paradox, wherein the instances of squabbling may become less, but cannot reach zero.  But, like I said, she is now pretty resigned about that.

Which brings us to Mom's adjustment of her attitude and expectations:  Mom got to spend a lot of time with her niece (Lilah, age 3) and nephews (Noah, 6, and Rowan, 6 months) during her trip, and was pleasantly amazed at how the whole family -- adults and kids, not to mention cats and dogs -- all got through Christmas Eve and Christmas Day without anyone fighting, yelling, or crying (it happened!).  How was this possible, she wondered?  Well, her sister-in-law (Chrissy) is a very good mom, and her brother (Brian) is a very good dad.  They are relaxed and calm; they just sort of expect the kids to get along, and they do.  Most importantly, of course, they set a good example; they are lovingly polite and respectful to both the children and each other, and they let the kids know clearly and consistently what behavior is acceptable (âOh, Lilah, you are so sweet to share with your brother.â) and what is not (âNoah, buddy, take a deep breath and calm down.â)  Mom concluded that this was exactly what the behaviorist at the shelter meant about me picking up on her tension and worry about Skeeter and I getting along.   Mom knows that cats arenât kids, but she decided to take a page from Brian and Chrissy and just chillax, as it were.  Also, she has revised her thinking on Skeeterâs position in the home in relation to me.  Now, instead of reassuring me that if my delicate sensibilities canât handle Skeeterâs presence, she will return him to the shelter, she has informed me that Skeeter isnât going anywhere and I am just going to have to learn to live with him.  

So the new order of things is that Skeeter gets to be out of the kitchen except for when Mom is out or sleeping.  I still get Mom to myself at night, so thatâs okay ... 

Well, I have to go help Mom finish unpacking and start getting ready for the party she and Dad are going to tonight.  Happy New Year purrs to all!]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Hooray! Mom will be home SOON!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/407144</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 29 Dec 2007 17:49:34 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/407144</guid>
		<description>Hey everycat!  Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy Belated Hanukkah!  (And thank you all ever  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hey everycat!  Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy Belated Hanukkah!  (And thank you all ever so much for your holiday gifts, rosettes, and stars!)

Good news!!!  Dad says Mom will be home late TONIGHT!!!!  I am so excited!  I have missed her so much that I haven't had the heart to write any diary entries while she has been gone.  Heck, I've barely even bothered to terrorize Skeeter.  (Although naturally I still put up a diva display when Dad is around.)  Mom has been in North Carolina, spending Xmas with her human family (and, of course, with the cats and dogs who are also part of the family: her mom's cat, Max, whom you know from my stories as Pumpkin's mate, and her brother and sister-in-law's cats, Teva and Pilchard, and their dogs, Scout and Mason).  Dad has been taking good care of Skeeter and me, and Mom has been calling every day and asking Dad to put her on speakerphone so she can talk to me.  Skeeter has responded to Mom's absence by forgetting what a litterbox is for and pooping all over the kitchen floor -- what a brat.  But he's still here and it doesn't look like he's going anywhere soon.  Dad is completely gaga for the little rascal and doesn't even mind cleaning up after him.  

Mom and I have both missed our Catster pals.  Tomorrow, Mom will help me take down my page's Christmas decorations and pick out a cute winter theme, and I'll get caught up on my holiday thank-you notes, p-mail, and all the news I've missed.  I can hardly wait!

And, better yet, "The Festival of Bast" will be back from seasonal hiatus within the first week of the new year!  That's right, Chapter 30 will be here soon (I mean it this time!) and there are lots and lots of adventures in store for our brave band of Journeyers.  So .... STAY TUNED!!!!

purrs to all, 
Jubilee]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Christmas Tag!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/401321</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 14 Dec 2007 14:03:41 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/401321</guid>
		<description>I got tagged by Wiggy!

Here are five things I want for Christmas:

1) For Santa to take Skeeter ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I got tagged by Wiggy!

Here are five things I want for Christmas:

1) For Santa to take Skeeter back to the North Pole with him.

2) A snuggly cat bed to curl up in with my sweet Tibby.

3) A turkey stuffed with tuna.

4) For all homeless cats and dogs to find warm, safe, loving homes ... just not in MY home.

5) For my Mom to never make me wear a hat or costume again.

And now I'm off to tag these five cats:
Tibby (of course!)
Bitu
Laurie
Chai
Toby

Happy Meowlidays, everyone!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Hooray, I'm a Diary Pick of the Day!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/401308</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 14 Dec 2007 13:34:10 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/401308</guid>
		<description>Hey everycat, 

&quot;The Festival of Bast&quot; is on seasonal hiatus, but I was honored to be chosen a Dia ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hey everycat, 

"The Festival of Bast" is on seasonal hiatus, but I was honored to be chosen a Diary Pick today for my special series of reports on Skeeter.   

Here's the latest:  

Skeeter is out of quarantine at last.  Mom took down the towels on the lower baby gate so Skeeter and I can see each other, not that I want to go anywhere near the kitchen door just yet, even for treats.  And today while I was having my morning sunbath on the office windowsill, like I do every day, Mom sneakily closed the office door and brought Skeeter upstairs to her bedroom!  She let him walk around on the bed and get his scent all over it, then took him back down to the kitchen.  She opened the office door again before I'd even finished my sunbath and noticed it was closed, I admit, but that's hardly the point!  When I went in the bedroom a little while later, I jumped onto the bed only to discover that Skeeter had been there.  Can you imagine???  

Mom really wants to introduce us in person, but I get so upset when I get near the kitchen or even when Mom goes in or out of the kitchen, that she's not sure it's a good idea just yet.  I am definitely teaching Mom patience!

How long will it be before I make friends with Skeeter?  Will I ever???  And what's going to happen to the cats on their Journey to the Festival of Bast???  STAY TUNED!!!!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Good news?  Bad news?</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/400589</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:35:47 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/400589</guid>
		<description>Hi everycat, 

At last, a Skeeter update!  I wanted to wait until I had some definitive informatio ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hi everycat, 

At last, a Skeeter update!  I wanted to wait until I had some definitive information to report, which took longer than I anticipated.  Mom and the vet traded a few voicemails and emails last week, but Mom didnât learn anything that I havenât already shared with you, gentle readers.  When Mom took Skeeter to the hospital for a check-up on Saturday, the vet was in an emergency surgery and couldnât see him.  So then Mom dropped Skeeter off at the hospital on Monday morning and left him there all day (Hooray!).   When she picked him up, she was FINALLY able to talk to the vet in person.

Good news: The vet reported that she no longer observed ANY signs of Skeeterâs neurological condition!  She said Skeeter did not display any of the previously observed confused, aggressive, and un-coordinated behaviors.  Her guess is that he may have simply grown out of it, the way children sometimes outgrow ADHD.  (Note: My Mom was diagnosed with ADHD about five years ago, when in her early thirties.  I suspect that she feels an affinity with Skeeter because she knows what itâs like to be different and misunderstood.)  In any case, he definitely doesnât have CH.  His slight clumsiness is the only suggestion that he isnât perfectly normal, and the vet says heâll probably grow out of that, too ... although Mom actually kind of hopes he doesnât, because itâs so darn cute.

The vet also noted that Skeeter has grown significantly calmer and more affectionate since heâs been with Mom.  Mom is more than happy to take credit for the improvement!

Bad news:  Skeeterâs URI has improved (Mom has been dutifully mixing a lysine supplement into his wet food twice a day), but has triggered a secondary eye infection, causing a blocked tear duct.  So now Mom has to put ointment in Skeeterâs eyes twice a day for ten days, then take him back to the vet for another check-up.  And heâs still in quarantine, for another few days. 

Iâm not upset about Skeeter remaining in quarantine; heâs definitely raring to explore the rest of the house and play with me, but Iâm far from ready to let him.  Mom is going to be climbing over those baby gates for a while.  However, I am gradually getting more relaxed about having another cat in the house, a little each day.  I can now hang out in the living room without hissing or growling, but I stay on the couch that doesnât have a view of the kitchen door, not my usual perch on the back of Momâs couch.

Mom still fears I may be too much of a princess to accept another cat, but she knows she has to  be patient and let me move at my own pace.  

STAY TUNED for more on Skeeterâs progress, and of course Chapter 30 of âThe Festival of Bast,â coming soon, I promise!!!!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Today's update ...</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/397644</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 4 Dec 2007 13:53:24 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/397644</guid>
		<description>Hey everycat, 

I'm feeling a little better today about this whole little-brother thing.  Mom has  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hey everycat, 

I'm feeling a little better today about this whole little-brother thing.  Mom has been giving me lots of love and special attention, and has made sure to stick to my regular routine (except that I can't go into the kitchen, of course).  She still tosses my mousie for me to chase when I jump onto the bed in the morning, and turns on the bathtub faucet to give me a drink when I stand on the edge of the tub, and asks my opinion on everything, and pets me or kisses me on the head every time she walks past me, and plays my clicker games with me.  She says that I am her precious and special Princess Prettypants and no other cat could ever, ever take my place (duh!).  And I still have the rest of the house, even if Skeeter has the kitchen temporarily.  So I've decided not to hiss at her anymore.  (Well, at least not on a regular basis -- I still have the right to express myself, after all.)  

I watched "Heroes" last night with Mom and my uncles (the season finale was PAWSOME, by the way!) and didn't concern myself with Skeeter at all, even when I could hear him rustling around and playing with his toys.  And this morning, while Mom was playing with Skeeter in the kitchen, I jumped on top of the TV so I could sort of see around the corner into the kitchen, but I didn't growl or meow or hiss.  When Mom came out, she gave me a big bite of turkey for being so good!

Mom is STILL waiting to talk to the vet about Skeeter's neurological condition.  Apparently, the vet was super-busy yesterday, and is not in the office today; Mom has called the hospital three times and they PROMISE that the vet will call her tomorrow.  

Now that Mom has had the opportunity to observe Skeeter in a larger space than at the shelter, something does seem a tiny bit wonky about his gait, but then again, he is in that gawky, long-legged pre-teen phase, so he's a little goofy anyway and it's hard for Mom, not being a trained vet or behaviorist and having spent more time around adult cats than kittens, to know which is which.  (Wow, that was a long sentence; hope it made sense...)  On a couple of occasions, she has noticed the "pecking" motions while eating that Toby described, but Skeeter doesn't do it very often and is not an unusually messy eater.  Skeeter has not had any episodes like his first foster and adoptive families described, where he was bumping into things, confused, and seemed to be blind.  He does get the kitten-crazies sometimes, jumping around and batting at invisible things, but that's perfectly normal, especially considering that he's used to having two cagemates to play with and now has to amuse himself.  

Mom already loves the little guy, I fear.  He loves to romp and play, but he also loves to be held, and he expresses affection with headbutts and loud purrs.  He's not shy at all.  He doesn't even run from Dad's huge feet -- I've known Dad for over six months and I still get a little nervous when he walks near me!  But wait, it gets worse.  Mom has even started playing clicker games with him .... and ... I hate to admit this, but ... he caught on faster than I did!  He's following a target around the room after only two lessons -- it took me three or four to do that!  Dang!  Cute, sweet, AND smart???  If I were any less beautiful, brilliant, adorable, and charming (not to mention becomingly modest), I might worry that the little beast is going to make me look bad! 

Dad and my uncles like him, too.  *sigh*  My Dad loves me, but I am too much of a princess for his personal taste.  He's really into the idea of having a young tom to be his buddy and balance the princess energy in the house (Mom is kind of a princess too, in a nice way).  

So, it all comes down to me, and how I feel about Skeeter after getting to know him, once he's out of isolation.  Mom promises that I get the final vote on whether to share my forever-home!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>A Very Special Diary Entry ... Introducing SKEETER!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/397244</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 3 Dec 2007 14:00:16 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/397244</guid>
		<description>Hey everycat, 

It&acirc;s been a while since my last diary entry, and I hope you haven&acirc;t all given  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hey everycat, 

Itâs been a while since my last diary entry, and I hope you havenât all given up on ever seeing Chapter 30 of âThe Festival of Bast.â   Production will probably continue to be slow through the human holiday season, unfortunately, but hang in there, gentle readers!  Thereâs lots of exciting adventure still to come!

If youâve seen the thread I posted in the âChoosing The Right Catâ forum, you already know that lately a lot of the power that runs the Transmogrifier Array here at Jubileeâs Adventure Production Studios has been diverted elsewhere.  If not, you can get caught up here:  

http://www.catster.com/forums/Choosing_the_Right_Cat/thread/470306

Hereâs what has happened since my last post in that forum!

On Saturday morning, I knew something was up.  Mom woke up excited and nervous, and started cleaning the kitchen ... which, believe me, doesnât happen often (itâs usually Dadâs job).   She also put some things in the kitchen -- a big soft cushiony pillow covered with an old flannel sheet, one of my soft plushy sleeping-pads (I never liked it anyway), and my Cat Cube.  I made myself comfy on the pillow, assuming it was for me.  

Next, instead of hanging around in her PJâs with me like usual on a Saturday, Mom got dressed to go out!  Now I was concerned!  My suspicions were confirmed -- Uncle Brendan came over, but they didnât put on a âBuffy The Vampire Slayerâ DVD and settle down on the couch.  They went out, and came back a little while later with a bunch of stuff that at first I thought was all for me -- a soft little blue bed, a scratching post with toys dangling from the top platform, cute food bowls, and lots more!  I got some Greenies, a pink sisal mousie with a bell on its tail, and, best of all, a really cool new Booda Dome litterbox!  No more potty training!  (I was initially too delighted to wonder why Mom had suddenly seen reason ... I was soon to discover that Mom merely figured Iâd have less incentive to have âaccidentsâ under the stress of the changes in the household if I went back to a litterbox.)  The rest of the stuff stayed in the kitchen, and Mom arranged it all with care.  

Mom kissed me and hugged me and said, âJubilee, weâre going to pick up your new little foster-brother, Skeeter.  I know youâll be a good big sister to him.â  Then Mom and Uncle Brendan left again.  When they came back, Uncle Brendan scooped me up and carried me upstairs, while Mom carried something straight into the kitchen.

At this point I need to describe a little about the layout of my house.  Mom and I live in a two-story apartment.  Upstairs thereâs the bathroom, Momâs bedroom, and Momâs office (thatâs the room with my treehouse, food bowls, bed, litterbox, and toys).  Downstairs is the kitchen and the living room; thereâs no kitchen door, but there is a closet in the little hallway connecting the living room to the kitchen, and if you open the closet door all the way, it almost blocks the kitchen doorway.  

Uncle Brendan put me in the office and closed the door.  When I was allowed downstairs again, a few minutes later, Mom was still in the kitchen, and the kitchen doorway was blocked by the open closet door, braced with a board and a chair.  Surely, Mom couldnât be trying to keep me out of the kitchen!  What was going on in there?  I pushed on the board, and it didnât take me long to nudge it aside. 

When she saw me, Mom immediately closed the top of a white cardboard carrier and called to Uncle Brendan.  I couldnât see what was inside the carrier, but it smelled like a kitten!  This must be Skeeter, the foster-cat!  Curious, I jumped onto the carrier to examine it more closely, but Uncle Brendan plucked me up and ejected me from the kitchen.  He propped the door shut again.  I pushed on the board again.  It fell forward with a bang, and I was in the kitchen once more.  I spied a bowl of food and ran to help myself.  Again, Uncle Brendan rudely seized me and hauled me back into the living room.  Now I was starting to get a little ticked off.  I hadnât thought that getting a foster-brother would mean so much inconvenience for me.

Mom came out of the kitchen, too, and fixed the closet-door barrier firmly in place behind her, buttressing it with a couple of chairs.  I stationed myself at the edge of the door to peer intently through the narrow gap at the half-grown kitten with big feet, big ears, and jungle-cat markings, peeking out of the open top of his carrier.  But why wasnât I allowed into the kitchen with him?  And why had Mom washed her hands and changed her shirt before touching me?  Suddenly I noticed that Mom and Uncle Brendan were both saying my name a lot, and I started listening to their conversation.

âI knew Jubilee would get past that barrier,â Mom was saying.  âI just thought it would take her more than thirty seconds.  At least Skeeter was still in his carrier.  But weâve got to keep them apart for a week, so Jubilee doesnât catch Skeeterâs upper respiratory infection.â

âYouâd have to keep them apart anyway, for the first week,â Uncle Brendan said.

âBut now I REALLY have to keep them apart,â Mom said.

Aha!  That explained it.  Mom had not only had the temerity to bring an intruder into my territory, but an intruder with a contagious URI!  How dare she!  Now I wished Iâd paid more attention to what Mom and Uncle Brendan had been talking about all day, but you know how humans are -- they talk pretty much constantly, and they so seldom actually say anything important.  I just sort of tune it out, mostly.  

Yet again, Mom left with Uncle Brendan, leaving me to guard the kitchen door.  The kitten on the other side wisely hid in his carrier while I explained the rules of the house through the crack.

Mom and Uncle Brendan returned with Momâs creative solution to the kitchen door problem: two tension-mounted mesh baby/pet gates.  She stacked them one atop the other in the doorway, and fastened a towel across each side of the lower gate with clothespins and binder clips.  Now, when a human wants to get into the kitchen, they have to take down the top gate and go over the bottom one.  Dad and my uncles are tall enough to just step over, but Mom has to put a chair on each side and climb over, ha ha!

Once that was all done, Uncle Brendan finally left.  I wanted to play with Mom, because sheâd been too busy for me all day!  But she went into the kitchen and put the top gate back up to keep me out.  I jumped onto the chair Mom had used to climb the bottom gate, and from there I could peek through the mesh of the top gate.  Mom was sitting on the floor, playing with the kitten!  Instead of playing with me!  I couldnât help feeling jealous.  I growled and hissed, but Mom ignored me!  Now I was really mad!  

After a while, Mom came out, and she brought a little plate of turkey with her.  We played some clicker games, but when the turkey was gone I remembered that I was mad at her, and I hissed at her instead of letting her pet me.  After dinner, Mom and I watched TV together, but from my usual perch on the back of the couch I could see those darn gates blocking the kitchen doorway, and hear and smell the little intruder.  So every few minutes Iâd hiss or angry-meow at Mom, or growl in the direction of the kitchen.

That was Saturday.  Since then, Mom has spent a lot of time in the kitchen playing with Skeeter when she could (and should!) be playing with me.  Yesterday, I sat outside the kitchen while Mom was with Skeeter, and she gave me bites of turkey through the mesh of the top gate when I sat quietly, but she ignored me when I hissed or growled or snarled or angry-meowed or swiped my paw under the gate.  Today, Iâve pretty much avoided going downstairs.  If I canât go into the kitchen with Mom to keep her company while sheâs cooking, and maybe get a treat, then whatâs the point?  And I hiss at Mom when she comes from the kitchen, just so she knows how I feel! 

Skeeter has to be isolated until next Saturday.  Until then, Mom has to wash her hands and face and change her shirt before touching me, every time she plays with him.  On Saturday Mom will take him back to the vet, and if his URI has cleared up, she will start gradually introducing us in person.  After a few weeks, if Skeeter and I can learn to get along, she will adopt him.  And when (or, rather, IF, since itâs ultimately up to me) she adopts Skeeter, she will make him a Catster page!

In the meantime, Mom has been trying to give me extra attention and love, but I am still mad at her.  If this is what having a little brother is like, then phooey on it, I say!  

Will I ever learn to accept a little brother, or will Skeeter have to keep looking for his forever-home?  STAY TUNED!!!!

ps, Mom has still not noticed any definitive evidence of Skeeterâs neurological problems, but she is waiting for the vet to call her with more information about his condition.  Iâll let you know what she finds out!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Happy Thanksgiving to all!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/392470</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 21 Nov 2007 16:48:08 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/392470</guid>
		<description>Hey everycat, 

Tomorrow will be my first Thanksgiving in my forever-home with Mom!  She's been me ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hey everycat, 

Tomorrow will be my first Thanksgiving in my forever-home with Mom!  She's been mentioning the word "turkey" a lot lately, which can only be a good thing!

Cats, of course, don't need a special day to appreciate our blessings and our loved ones.  But apparently humans do.  So I encourage my human readers to be more like cats, and take a moment every day to roll in a sunbeam, headbonk someone you love, and play just as hard as you sleep.  

I sure do have a lot to be thankful for this year.  Not too long ago, I was cold and hungry.  Now I have as many warm, soft places to sleep as a cat could want, a tummy full of good food, toys galore, and a Mom (not to mention Dad and uncles) who utterly, gaga, head-over-heels, adores me.  And I have so many wonderful friends here on Catster, who brighten every day!  I am thankful for each and every one of you!

A warm and wonderful Thanksgiving to all, from my family to yours!

Purrs and nose-kisses, 
Jubilee]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 29</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/390116</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 16 Nov 2007 13:42:48 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/390116</guid>
		<description>*** Gentle readers, once again I apologize for keeping you waiting so long for this chapter!  The en ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** Gentle readers, once again I apologize for keeping you waiting so long for this chapter!  The entire Transmogrifier Array here at Jubilee's Adventure Production Studios, see, is essentially wired directly into a single power source.  We call it the Cerebra Materae, whatever that means.  The Cerebra Materae can be an incredibly potent source of creative energy, when circumstances are ideal, but its output capacity is unfortunately limited.  If any significant amount of energy is diverted to other channels, the Transmogrifier Array slows down accordingly.  You can see the effect on chapter production.  Thanks for your patience! ***

âListen, woman,â Tweak interrupted, leaping into the clearing beside Orangina and Fafnir, and although she used the same polite, formal term for an adult female human that Orangina had used, her tone suggested she would rather use the term that Pepper had.  âOur Journey does not concern you. What exactly is the matter with you humans that makes you think everything is your business?â

Felix hastily followed Tweak.  âWhat my colleague is trying to say, is that ...â

Tweak ignored Felix and went on, glaring furiously at Bea as she stepped between the woman and Fafnir. âYou and your friends, however many of you there are, have caused a great deal of disruption already.  Leave us alone, and tell the others to leave us alone.â

Bea was still kneeling in the dusty weeds.  âOthers?â  She frowned.  âI never told anyone about this.  Theyâd think I was crazy.  Iâm by myself.â

When humans lie, in any language, cats can smell the deceit rising from them like swamp gas.  (Dogs canât, by the way; they believe everything theyâre told.)  Bea was telling the truth.

The leaders did a quick weighty-glance exchange.  A few feet behind them, concealed in a tangle of poison-oak, there were gasps and mutters from the rest of us.

âI knew she wasnât friends with those scary men,â Laurie stage-whispered, sounding pleased with herself.

âWhat others do you mean?â Bea asked.

The leaders hesitated.  Tweak and Felix looked at Orangina.  Apparently her preexisting relationship with Bea, such as it was, made her the spokescat.

âTwo men frightened a group of cats this morning, shortly after we encountered you,â Orangina explained, choosing her words with deliberation.  âOne of them could understand us, the way you can.â

Iâd heard the human expression about someoneâs jaw dropping in astonishment, but Iâd never actually seen a humanâs jaw drop before.  Beaâs jaw dropped.  Her mouth hung open as though she were waiting for a bird to fly down and place words into it.  She closed her mouth, opened it again, closed it again, and ran a slightly shaky hand through her long, frizzy hair.  âIâm not the only one?â  Beaâs eyes widened as the idea settled in.  âIâm not the only one,â she repeated to herself, in human English.  âHow is it possible?â she asked, switching back to Cat.

âMy brother has a theory,â Hudson piped up, but was immediately shushed, mostly by Gromit.

âIt is a rare gift, woman,â Felix told Bea.  âBut you are not the first or only human to possess it.â

Bea was silent for a long moment.  âWho are these other men?â she finally asked.

âHow should we know?â Tweak snapped.  

Bea looked stung.  I donât think this was how she had imagined this encounter would go.  âOf course.  Iâm sorry,â she stumbled.  

âYou donât need to hurt her feelings, Tweak,â Wiggy sighed, too softly for Tweak to hear.  But Pepper nuzzled him, and when she looked back at Bea, her sharp gaze softened a little.  

âI only wanted to prove to myself that Iâm not crazy, or imagining things.  I never even meant for you to know I was there, but when I heard you singing this morning it was so beautiful, I just forgot myself.  And then I felt so bad for frightening you all that Iâve been looking for you all day, hoping maybe youâd let me explain why I followed you, so youâd know that I donât mean you harm.â   Her words trailed off.  âIt does sound kind of flaky when I hear it out loud,â she admitted, shamefaced.  

No matter how flaky she sounded, nothing about Bea smelled like lies.  I was starting to feel downright sorry for her.  Tweak still looked suspicious, but Felix and Orangina seemed to be wavering.

âWe should listen to what this woman has to say,â Felix said slowly.  âIf there are others who can speak to us, others who may not share her benign intentions, we should learn all we can about this human ability, to understand it better.â

âI admit I wish Kimba were here,â Orangina said, âbut I think he would share your opinion, Felix.â

âKimba?â  Beaâs face brightened with recognition.  âThe Siamese?  Heâs your leader?â

âHe is the wisest elder of our colony, yes,â Orangina said.  

Tweak rolled her eyes impatiently.  âFine.  Tell your story, woman, and then leave us to our Journey.â

âOf course,â Bea eagerly agreed.  âI promise not to bother you again.â

By coincidence or design, Bea had found every catâs soft spot: a good story.   She sat on the ground, and her lap was an inviting one, generous and soft-looking.  We all crept from the poison-oak and gathered around Bea to listen.  Close up, she smelled like cinnamon and sage, and her brown eyes held depths of warmth.  Her face was deeply lined, but her fingers were plump and nimble.  She turned off her flashlight, and her white hair glowed like spiderwebs in the moonlight.

Her Cat grammar wasnât perfect, and her accent was strange, but twenty cats hung on her every word.  âOne day, I mustâve been about four years old, I was at the park, playing in the sandbox, and a cat happened to be walking by, a big grey tabby.  That cat looked straight at me, and she said, âI wouldnât play in there if I were you.  Good way to get ringworm.â  Not in words, not in English, but she said it to me, and I understood it.â

âGood advice,â Diego murmured to Toffy, who nodded.

âI ran over to my mother and I told her what the cat had said.  She laughed fit to split, and she told all the other mothers the funny story Iâd made up, and they all said I had a great imagination.â  Bea sighed.  âI started to believe, myself, that I must have imagined hearing the cat.  But after that, cats made me feel ...â

âUncomfortable?â Captain Tommaso offered.

âNervous?â Baby Girl chipped in.

âTerrified?â Bella proposed.

âLike youâd glimpsed something much larger than yourself, which you couldnât possibly comprehend?â Gromit suggested.

âI bet you never played in a sandbox again, either,â I predicted.

Bea nodded, and in her face it was still easy to see the confused, frightened little girl.  âYes.  All of that.â  She shook her head sadly.  âI pretty much stayed away from cats after that.  My father was allergic to cats, so we never had one.  And my husband liked dogs, so we had dogs, back when he was alive.  It was a long time before another cat spoke to me.  I mean, Iâd overhear little snippets sometimes, one cat talking to another, but I always told myself I was just imagining it.â  Bea took a deep breath.  âUntil this one night this past spring.  It must have been in May.  It was warm enough to sleep with the window open.  And I got waked up at about three in the morning by voices outside.  It sounded like a parade was passing under my bedroom window.  Laughing, talking.  I thought maybe it was a bunch of kids, so I got up to tell them to get out of my yard, but then I realized that I wasnât hearing human voices, because I wasnât hearing them with my ears, just in my head.  When I looked out the window, I saw what must have been a few dozen cats sneaking through my back yard.  There were dogs with them, too, and I swear, there were cats riding on the dogs.â

My fur started feeling uncomfortably warm as I realized what, and who, had woken Bea.  Next to me, Ham silently groaned.  Oranginaâs posture tightened almost imperceptibly.

âI just stood there and stared.  I thought I must finally have lost my mind.  I couldnât really make out words, there were too many voices at once. It was like listening to a crowd at a party, you canât hear an individual conversation going on across the room.â

To any other human whose yard we crossed that night, as we returned from Docâs lab to the burned house, we would have seemed to be traveling silently.  To Bea, we were a marching band.  I remembered how careful Iâd been to walk with quiet stealth, while at the same time blithely chattering away with Ham.

âThere was a greyhound that had two cats riding on it.  One was grey and white, and the other one had grey and black stripes on its head and back, and a white belly and legs.  They noticed me standing in the window, I guess, and the one with the stripes looked straight at me, just like the cat in the sandbox had, and hollered, âTake a picture, itâll last longer!â and both of them laughed fit to split.â

The younger cats snickered appreciatively.  Wait a minute ... a cat with silver tabby markings on her head and back, and white legs and belly, making a snide remark?  Riding a greyhound with a cat whose description sounded a lot like Bellaâs litter-sister, Jewel?  Ham and I both looked at Bella.  So did Orangina.

Bellaâs pink nose reddened.  âI had no idea she could hear me!  Really, what are the odds?â

Oranginaâs whiskers were stiff.  Had Bella been a human soldier under Oranginaâs command, she would probably have been scrubbing latrines for the next month.  

Bella gave Bea a sheepish smile and a shrug.  âThat was you, huh?â

âNo hard feelings,â Bea chuckled.  She looked as though she might try to pet Bella, but then thought better of it.  âAnyway,  I stood there staring until this whole line of cats and dogs had crossed through my yard.  Then I kind of unfroze, and I ran out of the house, barefoot in my pajamas, and I followed them to that little house on the corner, the one where they had the fire.

âI started feeding the cats in that house so I could listen to you.  I heard you making plans for some kind of journey.  So I reckoned, if I went where you said you were going, and if I found you there, then Iâd know for certain that I really had heard you talking.â

âThatâs actually pretty reasonable,â Diego admitted.  âFor a human.â

âVery scientific,â Gromit agreed.

âWhy didnât you say something to us before, instead of just eavesdropping like a big creep?â Bella demanded.

âI wasnât sure if I could.  I never tried before this morning.  And I didnât want to scare you like I did, and Iâm really sorry for that.  And,â Bea paused, as if the next words were heavy to bear, âIâll leave you alone now.â

STAY TUNED!!!!  Wow, I have even more questions now than ever!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>OMC, I'm on SOMC!!!!!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/387211</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 9 Nov 2007 16:16:38 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/387211</guid>
		<description>I can't believe it!!!!  I submitted a bunch of pictures to StuffOnMyCat.com a few months back and no ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I can't believe it!!!!  I submitted a bunch of pictures to StuffOnMyCat.com a few months back and not one but two of them appeared on the site yesterday!!!!  Mom is so very proud of me!  You can check out the pictures (one of them may already look familiar) here:

http://www.stuffonmycat.com/index.php?itemid=5871

STAY TUNED for Chapter 29 of "The Festival of Bast!"]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 28</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/386182</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 6 Nov 2007 18:38:58 PST</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/386182</guid>
		<description>There were no more Kittenfall games that afternoon. 

&acirc;This Journey scavenges,&acirc; Bella growled  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ There were no more Kittenfall games that afternoon. 

âThis Journey scavenges,â Bella growled several hours later, as we pushed our way through snarls of poison oak. âLeave it to humans to ruin things.â

âThose humans will be sorry if they run into me,â Fafnir said, puffing out his chest.  âWonât they, Wiggy?â

âYes, Fafnir, Iâm sure they will,â Wiggy said wearily, responding to this boast from his brother for about the forty-fifth time.  Pepper smiled and nuzzled Wiggyâs shoulder.

It was fully dark by now, but we could see just fine.  We hadnât met any other cats.

Tibby, Baby Girl, Bella and I were near the tail of the group, keeping Ham company at his appointed rear-guard position.  Diego and Toffy were right ahead of us, a length or two behind  Hudson, Gromit, and Captain Tommaso.  Jack chugged along with Mama Kitty and the two kittens at his side.  A gap of several lengths separated them from Wiggy, Pepper, and Fafnir.  The three leaders were at the front of the pack, whispering together in grim tones, as they had been since we left the creek.  

âDo you think the other cats are okay?â Laurie asked, also for about the forty-fifth time.

Jack gave her a reassuring lick behind the ear.  âDonât worry, little sister.â

âWhy do you think we havenât met any other groups yet?â Tibby asked Ham, in a low voice.

âOr even any other strays,â Baby Girl added, also in a voice too low for the kittens to hear.

Ham looked pleased to have his opinion valued.  âWeâre taking a detour,â he said.  âCrossing the green preserve farther north than the planned route, to avoid the humans.  Weâre sure to find the other groups when we get closer to Sleeping Cat Mountain.â

The detour so far had taken us mostly through dense undergrowths of low, bushy coyote brush, broom, and chamise, tall stalks of cow parsnip topped with lacy white flowers, and fierce, thorny tangles of wild blackberry and reddish-yellow poison oak.  Just before sunset we had warily crossed a road, the same road that Laurie and Zippie had crossed in the opposite direction when they were running from the two men, and since then we had been heading southeast across the green preserve, climbing uphill, through scrub punctuated by stands of oak and bay laurel.

We emerged from the brambles into a weedy clearing.  I could hear the irregular whoosh-whoosh of cars passing somewhere up ahead.  The wind carried the scents of asphalt, rubber, and exhaust.  And then, unmistakably, the scent of a human.

âGet out of sight!  Hurry!â Tweak hissed, as loudly as she dared.  We scrambled for cover, diving headlong into the poison oak.  

âStay still,â Felix whispered.  âDonât make a sound.â

A clumsy racket of footfalls, a flashlight beam, and the woman with the long white hair shuffled into the clearing, shining the light around and squinting into the darkness beyond the narrow slice of light.  She wore a shapeless grey sweater over her kente cloth pants.  âHello?â she called, again in Cat, straight into our brains.

âSo much for avoiding the humans,â Bella couldnât resist muttering, and Ham poked her sharply in the ribs.

âHello?â  The flashlight beam scanned the undergrowth.  The woman stepped closer.  

I realized I was holding my breath and made myself exhale.  Tibby pressed close to me on one side, Ham on the other.  That didnât help my breathing any.  

âPlease,â the woman said, âI know youâre there.  I promise I wonât hurt you.â

âShe sounds nicer than the other one,â Zippie whispered loudly, and was shushed by Mama Kitty.  

âCan you understand me?  Please, tell me if you can.â  

Before Wiggy or Pepper could stop him, Fafnir yowled a war cry and hurled himself out of the brambles and into the clearing, puffed up as big as he could make himself and baring all his teeth.  The effect was unfortunately more adorable than ferocious.  He charged at the woman, but instead of running for her life she dropped to one knee and beamed at Fafnir.  

âWell, hello there, handsome kitty,â she cooed.  

Fafnir, baffled at this reaction, stopped in his tracks.  âUh ... hi?â

Tweak started after Fafnir but Orangina and Felix held her back.

âYou do understand me, donât you?â  The woman sounded as though she might cry.

âSure I do,â Fafnir replied, still puzzled.  He remembered that he was supposed to be fierce and bared his teeth again.  âGo away!â he demanded.  

Again, the woman was less than intimidated.  âIâm sorry if I frightened you.  I just ... I thought I must be going crazy and I had to know ... you really can understand me?â

âShe does seem kind of harmless,â Toffy murmured.

âSheâs a human.  She shouldnât be here,â Pepper hissed back.

The leaders held an urgent whispering session, and Orangina stepped gingerly forward into the clearing.  The rest of us looked on, peering through the screen of vines.

âFafnir, that will be enough,â Orangina said sternly, and Fafnir sulked at Oranginaâs side for the rest of the conversation.  âWell-met by moonlight, woman,â she said carefully, using the most formal and polite Cat term for an adult human female, unlike the term Pepper had just used.  âI am Orangina.  Who are you?â

We listened intently from the poison oak thicket.  

The womanâs face glowed.  âWell-met by moonlight, Orangina.  My name is Bea.â   She repeated the Cat greeting slowly and carefully.

âBea,â said Orangina.  âIf you overheard enough to follow us here, then you also know that you are intruding on something not meant for humans.â

âOh, no.â  Bea shook her head emphatically.  âI never meant to intrude.  I only wanted to see if what Iâd been hearing was real.  I had to find out if I really was hearing cats talk.â

âNevertheless, you are intruding,â Orangina replied, her voice calm but stern.  

Beaâs expression crumbled.  âI ... Iâm sorry.â  

âYou found the answer to your question.  Now, you must stop following us.â

âBut ...â  Bea looked stricken.  

âWill you stop following us?â Orangina asked, a shade impatiently.  

âPlease,â Bea burst out, âyou donât understand what itâs been like ... all these years ... ever since I was a little girl ...â

STAY TUNED for the story of Bea!!!!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 27</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/384590</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 2 Nov 2007 19:03:54 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/384590</guid>
		<description>&quot;I knew it!  I was right!&acirc; Gromit burst out.

&acirc;What?&acirc;  &acirc;Right about what?&acirc;  The leaders  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ "I knew it!  I was right!â Gromit burst out.

âWhat?â  âRight about what?â  The leaders spun around, and the two kittens looked more confused.

All the cats had run to the creek bank when Ham called for help.  Now we were all grouped in a semicircle facing the creek, surrounding the leaders and the kittens.  Ham and I, still dripping wet, had been shuffled to the side when the leaders came through.  It was late afternoon, the sun just touching the tops of the western hills.  

âWell ...â  Now that everycat was staring at him, Gromit shrank bashfully.  âItâs just, I was saying this morning, that there are a lot more humans now than when Mau talked to Ebe, and more housecats too, so it seems logical that there would be more humans who can understand us, is all.â

There was a silence while everycat considered this theory.  It seemed much more likely now than it had a few hours earlier.  

The leaders exchanged concerned glances.  

âYoung ones, what did the human look like?â Orangina asked the kittens.

âScary,â Laurie said.

âTall,â Zippie said at the same time.

âWith dark hair,â Laurie said.

âWearing a long black coat.â

âAnd there was another human with him, but that one couldnât understand us.â

âWe didnât get a good look at that one.â

âHad anycat in your group ever seen them before?â asked Tweak, casting a sideways look at Orangina.  âDid anycat recognize them?â

Zippie shook his head.  âI donât think so.â

âBut we didnât know all the cats in our group very well,â Laurie said, hesitantly.  âWe only met most of them last night as we were Journeying.â

âWho are your group leaders?â Felix asked.

âWe started out Journeying in a group with Haley Ann,â Laurie said.

âAnd other cats, too,â Zippie clarified.  

âThen we met Athenaâs group, late last night.â  

âAnd Max and Pumpkinâs group, early this morning.â

My whiskers went cold.  Bellaâs ears flattened.  âMax and Pumpkin!â

âIâm sure theyâre okay,â Ham said stoutly.  I put a reassuring paw on his shoulder, and I caught Tibby looking quickly away.

Oranginaâs face was grave.  âI was starting to wonder what was delaying the other groups.  What happened, exactly, young ones?â  

The story burbled out while Zippie and Laurie, now almost dry and much cleaner than before their swim, both got a thorough, maternal grooming from Mama Kitty.  The kittens were just barely old enough to have been allowed on the Journey, and they purred noisily at the ministrations as they interrupted each other and argued over the details of the events leading up to their plunge into the creek, and the leaders asked more questions and told the kittens to please slow down and talk one at a time.  Iâll spare you all that and just tell you what we finally understood to have happened.

An hour or two after sunrise, their group of cats was in the southern part of the green preserve, heading northeast, on their way to reunite with the other groups from their respective colonies.  There were fifteen of them, including the four leaders Pumpkin, Max, Athena, and Haley Ann.  They were traveling through thick woods of coast live oak, papery-barked madrone, California buckeye, and bay laurel.  The group had been walking for hours, and Max and Pumpkin were arguing over whether they should all stop and rest for the day or continue on until they had met another group.  (âThat sounds like them,â Bella muttered.)  

Suddenly, a voice called to the cats from close by in the woods.  The voice didnât belong to a cat, but it was communicating in Cat, and the cats heard it not with their ears but directly in their brains.  Zippie and Laurie couldnât agree on exactly what it said, but it was something along the lines of, âListen to me!â  They did agree, however, that the voice sounded both arrogant and unctuous, with an edge of cruelty.  It was not a friendly voice.

Fur prickling, all fifteen cats froze in place, looking around for the voice, and a tall man stepped from the trees in front of them before the cats even smelled human on the still morning air.  He had shiny black hair, dark beard-stubble, and he was wearing a long black duster-style coat and black cowboy boots.  Lurking a couple of meters behind him was a squirrelly-looking little man with a video camera. (Orangina frowned at that detail.)  

âIt was like they were waiting for us.â

âOr looking for us.â

âSame thing.â

âIt isnât.â

While the squirrelly-looking one filmed, the man in the black coat approached the cats, saying, âI know that you can understand me.  And I know where youâre going.â  He said more, but Zippie and Laurie werenât certain what, because Pumpkin yelled for all the cats to run, and then everything happened at once.  

All the cats started running in different directions, trying to get around the men blocking their path.  The man in the coat started running after the cats, calling in vain for them to stop and listen to him, and yelling in human English at the squirrelly-looking man to keep filming.  Zippie and Laurie ran blindly, and in their panic they focused more on staying together than on where they were going.  They ran across a road just ahead of a truck barreling downhill.   They ran through scrub and forest.  When they couldnât run another step, they looked around and realized they were lost.  They were afraid that if they waited for their group to find them, the men would find them first.  So they kept running, hoping to find other cats, any cats.  

âDid the men catch any of you?â Orangina asked, in the carefully modulated tones of one trying not to sound anxious.

âI donât know.  I donât think so,â Zippie said.

âBut we really didnât see anything after Pumpkin said to run,â Laurie admitted.

âWell, they didnât have cages or anything,â Zippie offered.  âIt seemed like they just wanted to talk to us.â

The leaders exchanged another round of weighty glances.  The afternoon sun was dipping below the hills.  

âOne thingâs for sure,â Felix said.  âWeâre not safe here.  Letâs get moving.â

STAY TUNED!!!!  Who is the scary man in black???  And is it just me, or does that squirrelly guy with the camera sound familiar?]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Oh boy!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/384250</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 2 Nov 2007 00:19:33 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/384250</guid>
		<description>Wow, what a day!  There are a couple of exciting news items to report.

The lead headline: Twinkie ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Wow, what a day!  There are a couple of exciting news items to report.

The lead headline: Twinkie, my adopted little brother, was Cat of the Day today! I am so happy and proud for him!  He is a super kitty!

Also, a breakthrough in my training of my mom.  Last night, I slept downstairs, on the back of the comfy skooshy couch, instead of on the bed next to Mom.  This morning, without me waking her, her eyes popped open at a quarter to seven, wondering where I was and why I wasn't asking for my breakfast!  Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!  She actually came downstairs and called me for breakfast time!  Bwah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!

And, I taught Mom a new clicker-trick:  when Mom is sitting in a chair, I stand on my hind legs and put one paw one her knee like a faux-sincere talk-show host.  It's VERY cute.  I invented it myself!  Mom thought it was such a good idea that now she is reinforcing it with the clicker, and y'all know what that means -- treats, treats, TREATS!

STAY TUNED for Chapter 27 of "The Festival of Bast"!!!!  Who are these humans who can communicate with cats, and why are they so interested in the Festival?

ps, The eyebrow that got accidentally singed by my birthday candles is growing back nicely.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 26</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/382851</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:10:53 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/382851</guid>
		<description>Believe me, the game takes a lot less time to play than it does to read about.  After five rounds, w ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Believe me, the game takes a lot less time to play than it does to read about.  After five rounds, which probably happened faster all together than one quarter of a human basketball game, we were all out of breath and needing a drink of water.  The afternoon sun stretched long fingers across the tops of the western hills.  

âI am going to feel that game tomorrow,â Toffy groaned as we hobbled to the creek in a loose and straggling pack.  

âTomorrow?â Tibby groaned back. âLucky you.  I feel it already.  You sure do pack a wallop, Mama Kitty.â

The petite cat smiled, tossing her orange and white head.  âYou better believe it, honey.â

I headed down the bank with Bella and Baby Girl.  

Ham caught up with us.  âJubilee, can I please talk to you?â

Bella immediately nudged Baby Girlâs shoulder.  âCome on, letâs go try the water down this way,â and the two of them left Ham and I alone, trailing giggles as they went.

Ham and I continued up the creek bed, away from the group a little, and Ham drank for a moment before he spoke.  âJubilee, Iâm sorry if sometimes it seems like I donât have time for you ... youâre really important to me.  As important as being a Journey leader.â

âYouâre important to me too, Ham,â I said, but I couldnât get Tibbyâs golden eyes out of my mind.  

Ham sidled closer to me.  

âWait,â I began.  I was interrupted by a crashing in the weeds on the other side of the creek.  âNot again,â I muttered to myself, but instead of Bella and Baby Girl charging out, as I was expecting, two muddy, panting kittens tumbled down the bank and into the water.

They paddled frantically towards us.  Ham and I dashed into the creek, and Ham shouted for the leaders as we splashed towards the kittens.  The creek was wide, and deep in places.  I lost my footing and fell.  Cold water closed over my head.  I came up disoriented, sputtering and coughing.  Half-running, half-swimming, I reached one of the kittens, her paws flailing to keep her head above the water.  I grabbed her by the scruff and hung on for dear life.  

Hauling the kitten by a mouthful of wet brown tabby fur, I struggled back towards the bank.  Ham had a firm hold on the other kitten, an orange tabby, who was squirming and insisting, âI can swim!  Put me down!â  

The rest of the group, hearing Hamâs shouts, had all come running.  As we dragged ourselves up the bank, cats crowded around to help lick the two kittens dry.  The kittensâ eyes were wide and panicky, and they were shaking all over.  The brown tabby was delicately-built, with Abyssinian eyeliner and a pink nose.  The orange tabby was long-legged and spindly, with oversized paws.  

âBoy, are we glad to see you cats,â the orange tabby gasped, as Mama Kitty licked his ear so hard she almost knocked him over.  âIâm Zippie.  This is my friend Laurie.â  

âWeâve been running for hours,â Laurie added.

Tibby hurried to my side, his eyes full of concern.  âAre you okay, Jubilee? I didnât even know you could swim.â

âMe neither,â I admitted, coughing up some creek.

Bella winced away from the droplets as Ham shook water from his fur.  âYouâre definitely going to be a group leader next year, Ham,â she said, for once not sounding sarcastic.

âThanks, Bella.â  He smiled warmly at her.

Orangina, Felix, and Tweak pushed their way through the cluster of cats and converged on Zippie and Laurie.

âWhat are you two youngsters doing in the green preserve all alone?â Tweak asked.  âYouâre not Journeying by yourselves, are you?â

âLaurie and I got separated from our group,â Zippie started in a rush, his words tripping over Laurieâs.  âThere was a human ...â

âA human ... a human who could understand us ... we all ran ...â Laurie stammered.

âYou saw her too?â Felix asked, leaping towards the kittens, his green eyes wide.

Laurie and Zippie looked confused.

âHer?â Laurie said, shaking her head.  âNo.  It was a him.â  

STAY TUNED!!!!  What???]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>whew!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/382290</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 28 Oct 2007 12:12:59 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/382290</guid>
		<description>Wow, Chapter 25 was exhausting ... *pant, pant* ... but don't despair, gentle readers, because Chapt ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Wow, Chapter 25 was exhausting ... *pant, pant* ... but don't despair, gentle readers, because Chapter 26 is under production right now!

So, STAY TUNED!!!!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>A new game of tag!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/381062</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:06:31 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/381062</guid>
		<description>The rules of this tag game are, you say something you love about each cat who tagged you, and then y ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ The rules of this tag game are, you say something you love about each cat who tagged you, and then you pick 10 cats to tag and say one reason you love each of them.

I got tagged over the past few days by :

ASHLEY wears boas with so much style!
 
LITTLE ONE is a pretty princess with lots of spirit!

MR. D is a great cartoonist!

STAR is very glamorous!

TIBBY, my true love, the light of my life, the most wonderful boyfurriend a kit could ask for!

TWINKIE is sooooooooo adorable and such a great little brother!

WIGGY is such a genuinely nice guy!

It was hard picking 10 cats to tag, because I have so many pawsome friends that I wanted to say nice things about, and I also knew a lot of cats would be tagged a bunch of times already ...

ATHENA is one of the smartest cats I know!

BABY GIRL likes to eat corn and squash, even though she is a great hunter ... what a cool kitty!

BEAUBEAU always makes me smile with his sunny presence shining from the Bridge!

BUSBY looks so cute in the Hello Kitty Head!

GROMIT has great sense of humor and he loves Buffy the Vampire Slayer!

KASHMERE is so beautiful!

LAURIE  is a wonderful friend!

MISS DBACK is the bestest guardian angel ever!!!

MOLLY takes good care of her Daddy!

NATASHA is gorgeous and a good writer!


STAY TUNED for Chapter 26 of "The Festival of Bast"!!!!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Interview!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/380551</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 24 Oct 2007 09:12:23 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/380551</guid>
		<description>This week Athena chose me to interview!  I thought it might be fun to post it here in my diary so th ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ This week Athena chose me to interview!  I thought it might be fun to post it here in my diary so that you can read it even if you are not a member of the "I'm No Longer Alone" group.  Here are Athena's questions and my responses:

This week's interview is with Jubilee, from Berkeley, California. Jubilee is a well-known author on Catster, and will be talking to us about her writing. But other aspects of her life are just as fascinating. . . .

1. On your page you've got a picture of yourself wearing a Hello Kitty head. Your head comes out where her mouth would be, if she had one (she doesn't seem to, in most pictures). Are you a fan of Hello Kitty?

This week it was my turn to wear the traveling Hello Kitty head! It belongs to Rocky Ann, who administrates the Hello Kitty Fan Club group, and it is getting sent all over the world! Busby and Raymond sent it to me, and I sent it on to Pixel. My mom likes Hello Kitty a lot -- she even has a Hello Kitty TV. Itâs pink, and when you change the volume thereâs a little cartoon graphic of HK on the screen dropping or picking up flowers to show the volume level. I like to sit on top of it and give all the people on TV funny mustaches with my tail. But as far as my favorite Sanrio characters go, Iâm more a Batz Maru girl myself -- I think we look alike.

2. How did you get the catchy nickname, "Hey get down from there?"

Mom calls me that when I sit on her computer keyboard. But when I jump onto the TV, or onto her dresser and climb up to the top shelf of her closet and sleep on the clean towels, she gets her camera and calls Dad to come and look at what a cute and talented jumper and climber I am. It doesnât make sense.

3. Are you still feuding with the cat in the mirror at your house?

Sometimes I try to sneak up on her, but sometimes we take naps together. Sheâs always still right there when I wake up.

4. What is this clicker training you are doing with your mom, and what have you taught her to do lately? Have you really taught her to give you treats when you jump through hoops? Isn't that kind of a lot of trouble?

Clicker games are like a fun way to establish an economy with your human. I do something Mom wants and she pays me with a small bite of turkey. (Mmmmmmmmmm, turkey!) The click is the signal that means I have done something treat-worthy, so my object is to get Mom to click that clicker! And if Mom is slow with my treat after I hear my click, I meow really loud to let her know it! I get paid to sit, give paw, stand on my hind legs, follow a target, come here, jump through hoops, and so on. We use a combination of verbal cues and hand signals to communicate what Mom wants me to do. We practice almost every day. Sometimes we have a âclassâ that lasts for maybe ten minutes (until I get bored or we run out of turkey), but more often I just follow Mom to the kitchen and she gets a little piece of turkey from the refrigerator and we do a couple of clicks and treats before she makes her sandwich or whatever she was coming to the kitchen for. Yes, it takes patience, but itâs good body-and-brain exercise for an indoor kitty like me, and itâs fun for both me and Mom, and did I mention the turkey?

5. You don't always use the clicker to train your mom, though, do you? What about your training her to get up earlier each day? How is that going? (My own mom is simply untrainable in that regard!)

I know how you feel, Athena! Mom must have caught on to my plans somehow, because she started making my dinnertime later, and playing my clicker-games at night so my tummy would be full at bedtime. She is quite stubborn, but I am making some progress! These days I wake her for breakfast anywhere between 6 and 7 a.m. (I make sure to vary it a little, to keep her on her toes), and if she goes back to sleep I give her an hour or two before I wake her up again. Iâve found that licking Momâs face is an effective wake-up technique -- not as annoying as kneading with claws, but more assertive than a mere nuzzle. For example, this morning I woke Mom at about 6:15, and she gave me my breakfast and went back to bed. Then at around 7:45 I wanted to play Get The Mouse, so I jumped onto the bed and licked Momâs face, headbutted her, and bit her toes through the covers until she got my favorite red mousie out of her nightstand drawer and tossed it for me to chase. I made sure to leap around on the bed a lot, and make lots of noise playing with my mousie, to be certain that Mom was really awake. It is now 8:35 on a Saturday morning, and even though Mom was up until almost 2 a.m. watching movies with my uncle, she is awake and helping me type!

6. According to your diary, your mom wanted you to give up your own litterbox and switch to sharing the humans' litterbox. How did that finally work out?

Sheâs a great mom, Athena, but sometimes she gets weird ideas in her head. Iâm still using the metal bowl in the commode, with a tiny bit of litter. If I donât have a least a pawful or two of litter to scratch in, accidents have a way of happening, like in the recycling bin or behind the desk. And I know how to position myself with all four paws on the toilet seat, but I prefer to put one foot in the bowl, for better support. Lately Mom has been using the clicker to try and reinforce the proper foot positioning -- I get a click (and a treat when Iâm done) if I put all four paws on the seat myself, or (more often) when Mom moves my fourth paw out of the bowl and onto the seat. I could really do without being manipulated like an action figure while Iâm trying to use the litterbox, by the way. And doesnât Mom know that it is instinctual for cats to dig and bury their waste? Why on earth would I want to pee or poop in a big bowl of clean drinking water? How expensive can cat litter possibly be to justify all this exertion -- is it made of ground manticore hooves or something?

7. You're such a wonderful writer! Your story "My Awesome Adventure" was gripping--I couldn't put it down!--and now you're writing "The Festival of Bast," another exciting story. Human writers are often asked, "Where do you get your ideas?"--so that's my next question to you--MOL!

Gosh, thanks, Athena, thatâs really nice of you to say! I love sharing my stories, and it makes me really happy to know that other cats enjoy reading them. One of the proudest moments of my life was when I got a pmail from a reader who told me that her 4-year-old human sister loves âThe Festival of Bastâ and because of my story the little girl had checked out a library book on ancient Egypt to learn more about Bast! This may sound silly, but I think of my stories as my contribution to the Catster community. If cats share a story together, it becomes part of their common experience, and brings the community closer. (Storytelling is also a major theme in âThe Festival of Bast.â)
I get my ideas from a combination of real life, stuff I read or see on TV or in movies, and my own imagination. Iâll give you some examples of each.
My stories are often set in real places. There really is an abandoned, burned-out house (currently undergoing renovation) on my block, and next door to my building is a vacant lot with a big coast live oak and a thicket of wild blackberries, just like in my stories. Sometimes, when I need inspiration, I go out on the bedroom balcony and look at the oak tree. I love that tree and its little ecosystem of birds and squirrels; it always makes me feel more creative, like my imagination is a tree with roots from which I can draw nourishment, or something... Anyway, I really did get out one night back in May, a couple of weeks after Mom adopted me. I jumped off the kitchen balcony to the vacant lot, just like in âMy Awesome Adventure.â I was gone all night. The next morning, Mom was standing on the bedroom balcony (sheâd already been outside to look for me several times that morning, not to mention the night before) and she saw an orange tabby standing on the patio behind the building, looking up at a tree branch that overhangs the fence from the yard next door. Mom ran outside and looked up in the tree, and there I was, just the way she found me at the end of the story. That orange cat became Orangina, and the story fell into place from there.
I definitely get inspired by books, TV, and movies. âMy Awesome Adventureâ owed a lot of its plot structure and tone to Disney animated animal adventures like 101 Dalmatians and Lady and the Tramp, and also to Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Bella started out in my head as sort of a cat version of Cordelia) and Lost. I recently read, for the first time, both Lord of the Rings and Watership Down. I had already finished âMy Awesome Adventureâ and was trying to come up with an idea for another story, one that would have the same central characters but be different thematically, more complex, and bigger in scope. An epic journey tale, only with cats instead of hobbits or rabbits, seemed like an obvious choice. But then I had to decide where the cats would be going, and why. Well, I also recently read American Gods, and have long loved the character of Lady Bast in The Sandman, as well as the story âDream of a Thousand Cats,â which appears in The Sandman. I love Greek mythology and the Arthurian legends of magic and quests and heroes. I decided to create a mythology and a cultural history for cats, based on Bast.
Thatâs where my imagination comes in. I thought it would be good to connect the Journey to a specific natural event, like an equinox or ... hey, how about a meteor shower! (The Perseids had just occurred when I started writing âThe Festival of Bast.â) But what significance does this meteor shower have for cats? How is it related to Bast? ... And things blossomed from there. I write my ideas out in a notebook, which is how I sort of talk them through to myself. Sometimes it takes several pages of ruminative notes to come up with a single good idea. For example, in Chapter 24 of âThe Festival of Bast,â the cats play a game called Cat-Mouse-Seed. I consulted a few websites to learn about noncompetitive games for children, and created a tag-chase game for cats. Then I had to invent specific rules, and actually sketch out storyboards to move the characters through several rounds of play. (No wonder Chapter 24 is taking so darn long to write -- but I hope to have it posted by later today!)

Thanks again for interviewing me, Athena!  It was fun!

ps!  Obviously, I answered these questions while I was still writing Chapter 24.  It's up now, as is Chapter 25, so enjoy, and STAY TUNED!!!!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 25</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/380162</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 23 Oct 2007 13:48:19 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/380162</guid>
		<description>*** This chapter really had those supercalifragicapacitors working overtime! ***

	&acirc;Cat-Mouse-Se ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** This chapter really had those supercalifragicapacitors working overtime! ***

	âCat-Mouse-Seed is the game we play
	To celebrate Bastâs gifts today ...â

The seed circle defined the area of play.  The circle was bounded at one point by the big oak and at another by the creek, and it encompassed a couple of small bay laurels and flowering manzanitas.

I knew Bella would be coming for me, but I was pretty sure I could evade her until either Baby Girl or Ham took her out.  The rules say that all chasing and catching must take place on the ground; trees and other climbing areas are out of bounds.  That put me at a slight disadvantage, but I still felt confident that Iâd be a cat in the second round.  

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mama Kitty bunch her haunches, her tail shimmering, for a pounce at Tibby.  I knocked him out of the way with a leap of my own, and we both rolled away from the spot where Mama Kitty landed in a furious puff of orange and white.  

âThanks, Jubilee,â Tibby gasped.  He glanced over my shoulder and his pupils dilated.  âDuck!â

I lowered my head in time to narrowly miss Bellaâs pounce.  She sailed over me and skidded to a halt in the carpet of leaves.  

Jack made a token lunge towards Mama Kitty that landed a full cat-length from her tail.  Mama Kitty shook herself off and prepared for another leap.

	âSeeds make mice grow tasty and fat
	To nourish every growing cat ...â

Tibby and I were pinned between Bella and Mama Kitty.  We turned and ran towards the center of the circle as they both pounced at us.

On the other side of the circle, Tweak made a long leap towards Felix.  He saw her coming and sprang aside.  Orangina held her body low to the ground as she crept silently after Tweak.

âIâm coming to get you!â Wiggy chuckled at Pepper, chasing her playfully as she giggled and effortlessly evaded him.  With a war cry, Fafnir hurled himself onto Wiggyâs back -- the first capture of the game.  Wiggy would become a seed in the next round, and Fafnir would stay a cat.

I jumped over Captain Tommasoâs back as he dashed across the circle with Gromit at his heels.  Tibby cut to the left, Mama Kitty in hot pursuit.  Bella ignored a clear shot at Captain Tommaso to spring at me, landing so close that her claws almost brushed the end of my tail.

Ham and Baby Girl both charged towards Bella, Ham from the left and Baby Girl from the right.  Ham was so intent on Bella that he didnât notice Hudson, coming around a manzanita bush to ambush Gromit.  He and Hudson collided in a spinning squall.

Baby Girl leaped at Bella, but Bella dodged her, and I darted away before Bella could pounce again.

	âCats control the mouse population
	Thinning the numbers of each generation ...â

Diego launched himself at Toffy, who hopped aside.  Diego crashed into the manzanita bush.  Toffy laughed and trotted away, making a face at Diego over his shoulder as Diego shook manzanita pollen from his ear-tufts.

Mama Kitty pounced at Tibby, and he barely twisted out of her reach.  His claws skidded on the dry leaves.  She gathered herself for another leap.

Tweak cornered Felix against the slim trunk of a bay laurel and tagged him lightly on the shoulder with her paw, grinning.  

Felix smiled back at her.  âWell played,â he said graciously, not betraying that Orangina was sneaking up behind Tweak.

Ham and Hudson untangled themselves.  Gromit leaped at Captain Tommaso, and Captain Tommaso skipped lightly away from Gromitâs grasping paws.

âArrivederci!â Captain Tommaso laughed, as Gromit sprawled in the leaves behind him.

Ham, still slightly dizzy, staggered after Bella.

	âToo many mice means not enough seeds
	To satisfy their nutritional needs ...â

With a growl, Diego sailed at Toffy again, this time knocking the orange cat to the ground, where they wrestled, laughing.  

Gromit scrambled to his feet and galloped after Captain Tommaso.  Hudson lurched towards Gromit.

While Felix distracted Tweak with a few playful swats, Orangina lowered her head, gathered her haunches, and prepared to strike.

I sprang and dodged around the circle, trying to keep cats between Bella and me, but Bella was right behind me with every move.  Ham made a few clumsy lunges that she easily evaded.  Baby Girl stalked Bella patiently now, waiting for the perfect moment to attack.  I cut behind Gromit as he ran by with Hudson a length behind him.

âYou might as well lay down, housecat,â Bella taunted, dodging around Hudson, who swatted at her but continued to chase his brother.  âYouâre just wasting energy.â

âGetting tired already?â I shot back at her, prancing in place, ready to leap.

	âToo few seeds for mice to munch
	Means cats go hungry when itâs time for lunch ...â

Across the playing field, Mama Kitty chased Tibby in narrowing circles around her recumbent brother.  âHelp me out here, Jack,â Tibby begged.  âJust tag her!â

âDonât you dare!â Mama Kitty snapped.

Jack shrugged.  âSorry, Tibs, sheâs my sister.â  

Orangina pounced.  She slid through the air like an arrow, straight towards Tweakâs back.  Her paws extended, reaching, in the same instant that Tweakâs whiskers went tense and her pupils ballooned.  Tweak shot away, and Orangina hit the ground, barely avoiding crashing into Felix and the trunk of the bay laurel. 

Tweak paused, giggling, to watch Orangina pick a couple of laurel leaves from her whiskers.  âGive me a break!  Did you really think Iâd fall for --â  Tweakâs words were cut off as Fafnir tackled her from behind.

âGotcha, Tweak!â Fafnir crowed.

Captain Tommaso darted behind a rock near the creek and made a u-turn.  He nimbly dodged the oncoming Hudson, leaving Hudson and Gromit on a collision course as Gromit rounded the rock and Hudson bounded towards it.

Bellaâs main flaw as a Cat-Mouse-Seed player is that itâs easy to get her riled up and distract her.  I may not be the worldâs best hunter, but I am an excellent evader.  I danced around bushes and trees, away from her leaps and pounces, while Ham kept her busily avoiding attacks from all sides.  Meanwhile, Baby Girl hovered nearby, biding her time.

	âWithout enough mice, cats starve and die
	And they become seeds themselves bye and bye ...â

Gromit and Hudson were headed straight for each other.  Hudson grinned, and launched himself  at his brother.  But Gromit had predicted what Hudson would do, and he ducked under Hudsonâs paws without breaking stride.  As Hudson slid across the leaves behind him, Gromit sprang into a long, graceful running leap, surging through the air, and landed with his front paws squarely on Captain Tommasoâs rump, bringing the brown tabby down like a gazelle.

âAlmost got me that time,â I said generously as I bobbed to avoid a paw-swipe from Bella.

	âOne group struggles, one group thrives
	Without enough resources, no one stays alive ...â

Mama Kitty feinted as if she were about to pounce left, then swiftly leaped over Jack and onto Tibby as Tibby ducked right.  Tibby was down.  Mama Kitty danced around him, preening and shaking her orange and white booty until her tail-plumage rippled.  

Hudson got up and started after Gromit again.  Gromit cut short his celebratory wrestling match with Captain Tommaso and was on the run once more.

I darted away from a wild pounce and came up short at the steep drop-off of the creekâs bank.  I had inadvertently pinned myself at the edge of the circle that ended at the creek.  Bella approached, readying to leap.

	âNo one loses because no one wins
	Every day of hunting means we live to play again ...â

Gromit led Hudson on a romping zigzag across the circle, always just ahead of his brotherâs paws.

Bella lowered her head, her tail vibrating, coiled to spring.  I hesitated.  Bella pounced, and I jumped to the side.  Ham leaped to intercept Bella.  At the same moment, Baby Girl pounced from a nearby clump of weeds, and pinned Bella as she dodged to avoid Ham.

I was panting a little, but I had survived the round!  

âYou still donât have a mouse, Ham,â Bella pointed out.

âThe roundâs not over yet.â  Hamâs green eyes twinkled.  

	âCat-Mouse-Seed is the game we play ..."

âHey, Diego,â Ham said, as we strolled past the manzanita bush that Diego and Toffy were lying under, having a companionable grooming.

	"To celebrate Bastâs gifts today."

When Diego turned around, Ham tapped him lightly on the back with one paw as we sang the last words of the first verse.

Toffy laughed.  âWell played, Ham.â

The chorus began, and we formed ourselves into circles again:

	âDonât want to be a seed? Want to stay a cat?
	Better catch a mouse in no time flat!
	If youâre a mouse, better catch a seed
	And if you donât get caught youâll be a cat indeed!
	If you are a seed, youâd better run fast
	Donât get caught and be a child of Lady Bast!â

STAY TUNED!!!!  Whew!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 24</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/378581</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 20 Oct 2007 11:11:55 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/378581</guid>
		<description>*** Once again, apologies from all of us here at Jubilee's Adventure Production Studios for the dela ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** Once again, apologies from all of us here at Jubilee's Adventure Production Studios for the delay.  We blew out another supercalifragicapacitor, and I'm sure you can just imagine the difficulties of ordering replacement parts for those things... Anyway, here's Chapter 24.  Enjoy! ***

âAnd hunting!â Baby Girl added, daintily guzzling from the creek.

Bella slurped mouthfuls of water.  âJubilee, youâre hunting with me and Baby Girl.  Weâll make a predator out of you before the Festival.â  

I shrugged apologetically at Tibby.

Hydrated, we all left the creek and headed back to the big oak tree for the assembly.

It was an afternoon hunt, so the pickings were a little slim, and the leaders cautioned us not to wander too far.  We hunted in a businesslike way, playing with our food only the necessary minimum.  Baby Girl was a really good hunter, maybe even better than Bella.  With her sharp eyes and sharper claws, she spotted and dispatched a mouse and two and a half lizards (she grabbed one by the tail and the tail broke off; the lizard got away, but lizard tails are delicious) before I had caught a thing.  

âDonât pounce at where the mouse is.  Pounce at where the mouse is going to be,â she advised me, as I extracted myself from a thorny tangle of wild raspberry vines, where I had landed after a badly-timed leap.

After weâd hunted and eaten, sharing what had been caught among the whole group so even those cats who werenât the best hunters got enough to eat (fortunately for me), it was time for the Kittenfall games.

All the cats gathered again at the base of the coast live oak, and Orangina, Tweak, and Felix hopped onto a low branch to address us.  

âThereâs been no sign of the human we saw, and no sign that any other humans are following us,â Tweak began.  âBut that doesnât mean we are safe.â

âIt also doesnât mean that we should change our Journey traditions out of fear,â Felix said.  âThe Kittenfall games are an important part of the Journey to the Festival of Bast, almost as old as the Journey itself.â

âFor now, the Kittenfall games will go on as usual,â Orangina said.  âFor now.â

âBut stay on the alert,â Tweak added.

âNow,â Felix said, âLetâs start the games.â  He began to sing, and all the cats joined in:

	âLady Bast gave cats the gift of play
	So we honor Her with games today.
	She made us graceful, clever, swift, 
	With our games we celebrate all these gifts.â

When the song was over, Orangina, who was sitting farthest out on the branch, called out, âCount off groups for Cat-Mouse-Seed! Cat!â

âMouse!â called Tweak, who was sitting on the branch next to Orangina.  

âSeed!â called Felix, who was next to Tweak and closet to the trunk.

The count-off went down the tree to Jack, who was sitting closest to it on the ground.  âCat!â

âMouse!â called Mama Kitty, who was next to Jack.

The calls passed along the rough lines of the group until every cat was a cat, a mouse, or a seed.  Bella, who was standing next to me, was a mouse.  I was a seed.  Baby Girl and Ham were both cats.

âI am so going to get you, Jubilee,â Bella cackled.

"Good luck trying," I said.

âNot if I get you first, Bella,â Ham said.

âWeâll just see about that,â said Baby Girl.

âIn your dreams,â Bella assured us.

Human readers may not be familiar with Cat-Mouse-Seed, but every kitten knows the game.   Equal (or roughly equal) numbers of cats start out as âcats,â âmice,â and âseeds.â  The seeds form a widely-spaced circle, the mice make a smaller circle within the seed circle, and the cats cluster in the center.  When a verse of the game song starts, the mice try to catch the seeds, and the cats try to catch the mice.  A cat who catches a mouse stays a cat in the next round, but a cat who doesnât catch a mouse becomes a seed.  A seed caught by a mouse becomes a mouse, but a seed not caught by a mouse becomes a cat.  A mouse who doesnât get a seed becomes a seed in the next round, a mouse who catches a seed and then gets caught by a cat stays a mouse, and a mouse who catches a seed and doesnât get caught by a cat in that round becomes a cat in the next round.  The round ends when a verse of the game song ends, and during the chorus all the players again form circles of seeds, mice, and cats.

In the first round, the seeds were Toffy, Captain Tommaso, Pepper, Felix, Tibby, and me.  Tibby was next to me in the seed circle, and we smiled at each other.  The mice were Tweak, Mama Kitty, Wiggy, Bella, Gromit, and Diego.  The cats were Orangina, Baby Girl, Ham, Jack, and Hudson.

âI love this game,â Tibby whispered to me.

âMe too,â I whispered back.

The first verse started, and the game began.

STAY TUNED!!!!  Will I be a mouse or a cat in the next round????]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 23</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/376845</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 16 Oct 2007 18:25:38 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/376845</guid>
		<description>*** I'm really sorry to keep you all waiting so long since the last chapter, gentle readers!   Thank ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** I'm really sorry to keep you all waiting so long since the last chapter, gentle readers!   Thanks for your patience and I promise to try and be more prompt in the future! ***

âThey donât think the human followed us, and anyway, why let the possibility ruin our Journey, was the reasoning,â Diego explained.  

âGood thinking,â Ham said, but he looked a little hurt.  âHow come they told you guys first?â  

âDonât worry, Ham, we just happened to be nearby, so they asked us to spread the word,â Toffy said.  âThe leaders want everycat to meet at the base of the tree where we slept.â

âI should help with that,â Ham said, drawing himself up a little, clearly thinking of his future hopes for leadership.  He glanced at me.  âCan you find your way to the creek, Jubilee?â

âOf course I can.â

âRight, letâs get everycat awake and assembled!â  Ham bounded back towards the tree.  

âAre we going to eat before we play, do you know?â Tibby asked Toffy and Diego.

âWeâll hunt first, then play Cat-Mouse-Seed, and then the jumping events,â Diego reported. 

âSee you at the tree trunk,â Toffy added, and the two of them went off in search of more cats to tell.

Tibby and I, left alone together, looked at each other.  There was a brief awkward pause.  âSo ... mind if I walk to the creek with you?â Tibby finally asked.

I smiled.  âNot at all,â I said, and we strolled together to the pebbly bank.

The afternoon sun dappled through the green overhead canopy and broke in the water into shifting, sparkling gold.  We lapped up the cool liquid sunlight.  

âDid you really dump a bunch of frogs onto a goon named Buck?â  Tibby asked, his golden eyes shining at me as we drank.  

I giggled.  âI think it was lizards.â  

âThatâs so cool!â Tibby said.  âYouâre a very brave cat.â

I dipped a paw into the water, and splashed at a passing dragonfly.  âNo, I was really scared.  I just wanted to get home to my Mom.â

âAnd you did,â Tibby pointed out.  âYou did what you had to do to get home again, even though you were scared.  I think thatâs brave.â

Our eyes met again. 

His pink nose reddening, Tibby began, âIf you, I mean Iâm sure you have, but if you donât, if you need a hunting partner ...â

âJubilee!  Hey, housecat!â  Bella, closely followed by Baby Girl, Captain Tommaso, Gromit, and Hudson, came stampeding down the bank.  âWhy didnât you wake us?  Ham says thereâs games starting soon!â

STAY TUNED!!!!  What kind of games do cats play when no humans are watching?]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>A vote for me is a vote for Jubilee!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/374604</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 11 Oct 2007 14:53:14 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/374604</guid>
		<description>Hi everycat, 

I feel so honored!  I was selected to be Cat of the Week in the I'm No Longer Alone ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hi everycat, 

I feel so honored!  I was selected to be Cat of the Week in the I'm No Longer Alone group!  Princess Bella Boo wrote me the most beautiful poem.  Thank you for choosing me!  *tearfully accepts bouquet and tiara; walks down runway, waving*

Also, today Mom entered me in the 2007 World's Coolest Cat Contest.  I'm not the competitive type, but  you can vote for me at this link, if you want:

http://www.catster.com/show07/vote_pet.php?i=542518

... or just click on that handy little "Vote For Me!" button, farther up on my page!  I sure would be grateful if you did.  And I'll vote for you too, I promise!

STAY TUNED for Chapter 23 of The Festival of Bast!!!!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 22</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/373918</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 9 Oct 2007 18:04:21 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/373918</guid>
		<description>We were in the green preserve, but for the first few hours it didn&acirc;t seem much like the safe oasis ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ We were in the green preserve, but for the first few hours it didnât seem much like the safe oasis that Iâd been envisioning.  There were no more songs that morning, and little conversation.  When we spoke, we whispered, and wondered if we were being overheard.  Ham diligently guarded the rear of the pack, while the three leaders took turns at the head and flanks.  We passed through patches of scrubby brush and into woods of oak and bay laurel.  After a while we found a creek trickling along the valley bed, and stayed close to it as we walked, but without splashing or wrestling.

No one mentioned Kittenfall games.  And we didnât meet any other groups of cats.

When we finally stopped to rest, the sun had cleared the eastern hills and the day was getting hot.  We climbed the many-forked trunk of a big coast live oak and nestled ourselves into the bends and twists of its limbs, concealed amid the dense, spiny-edged leaves.  Baby Girl, Bella, and I climbed almost to the crown, and Captain Tommaso, Fafnir, and Gromit were right below us.  Wiggy and Pepper snuggled together on a limb nearby.  Diego, Toffy, Hudson, Ham, and Tibby made themselves at home on branches near the treeâs center.  Lower down, Mama Kitty selected a broad, comfortable-looking branch for herself and Jack, and waited impatiently while Jack hauled himself up.  Tweak, who was declawed and had trouble climbing trees, hopped nimbly onto a low-hanging branch.  Orangina and Felix also chose low limbs, the better to keep watch. 

I draped myself over a limb and sighed.  âHow many nights of Kittenfall left until the Festival?â

âSix, I think,â Baby Girl yawned.  Her tabby-striped tail twitched just above Captain Tommasoâs head.

âWhat if that human tries to keep us from getting to Sleeping Cat Mountain?â Captain Tommaso wondered aloud, swatting at Baby Girlâs tail.  

âIâd like to see her try it,â Bella muttered, showing her teeth.  âOne human is no match for eighteen cats, and there will be more cats joining us soon.â

Gromit shifted uneasily on his branch.  âIâve been thinking.  If one human can hear us and understand us, maybe there are others.  There are a lot more humans now than when Mau talked to Ebe.  From a purely statistical standpoint, that means more humans who can potentially communicate with us.  Maybe that human isnât the only one.â

I hadnât thought of that before.  Bella scoffed, but Gromit had a point.

âWhy should a human care about the Festival of Bast, anyway?  Itâs nothing to do with them,â  Baby Girl grumbled.

âExcept that to humans, everything is about them,â I said, and the four cats snickered agreement.

We slept until the hottest part of the day was past.  I woke up hungry.  Bella, Captain Tommaso, Gromit, and Baby Girl were still sleeping.  Without waking them, I picked my way down the tree, and started for the creek to get a drink.  

Tibby leaped from an overhead branch and landed in the dry leaves in front of me.  âHey, Jubilee.  I hear you helped foil a mad scientist.â

Before I could answer, Ham leaped from the same overhead branch.  âI hope you donât mind that I was telling Tibs about our adventures.  On your way to the creek?â 

Toffy and Diego trotted towards us, looking excited.  

âThe Kittenfall games are on!â Toffy announced.  âThe leaders just decided!â

STAY TUNED!!!!  Let the games begin!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 21</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/373093</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 7 Oct 2007 15:35:01 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/373093</guid>
		<description>The woman advanced another step.  &acirc;Please ... I&acirc;m not going to hurt you ...&acirc;  

I, for one,  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ The woman advanced another step.  âPlease ... Iâm not going to hurt you ...â  

I, for one, wanted to know who the woman was, and she looked pretty harmless to me, but there was no time for discussion.  

âDown the hill!  Now!â Tweak ordered.  Orangina and Felix echoed the command, and I was caught up in the rush of cats plunging into the valley, away from the water tower and the white-haired woman.

âNo, please, listen to me!â the woman called, stumbling after us. âWait!â

We darted beneath low coyote brush and through thick Spanish broom as we galloped downhill.  We ran until we could no longer hear the woman crashing through the undergrowth, and we huddled, panting, hearts pounding, under a manzanita bush on the valley floor.  

âShe approached us from the south, downwind.  How long was she following us?â Tibby asked.

âThe terrain weâve been traveling since we left the city would be difficult for a human to move in without us hearing her,â Orangina said.  âShe must have been waiting for us at the water tower.â

Felix frowned.  âHow would she have known to do that?â

âI know how,â Bella spat.  âI canât believe I trusted that human! I ate her food while all the time she was eavesdropping on our conversations!â

By the way, because it is based on thoughts, not vocalizations, Cat is a far richer and more nuanced language than any human language could ever aspire to be.  Cat has a dozen different words for âsleep,â from âsleeping in a high place,â to âsleeping in a square of sunlight on the floor,â and so on. Which makes it sometimes difficult to translate.  Iâve given the most equivalent English translations of many Cat words, such as our greetings and honorifics -- âlittle sisterâ and suchlike -- but others are more difficult to approximate.  For example, elsewhere in this story Iâve translated âmomâ or âdadâ for the Cat term thatâs literally âwarm place to sleep.â  On the other end of the spectrum, the Cat pejorative for âhumanâ that Bella just used translates roughly into âcleans litter box with hands.â 

âWhat are you talking about?â  Jack narrowed his golden eyes.

Bella growled, âThat human has been feeding our colony for weeks.  She probably knows exactly where the Festival will be.â  

Pepperâs tail went electric.  âYâall led her here?â

âDonât be ridiculous!â Bella jumped to her feet, snarling.  âHow could we know the human could understand us?  Thatâs only supposed to happen in kitten-tales!â

Orangina stepped between Bella and Pepper.  âIf anycat is to blame, itâs me.  I knew that a human was feeding Kimbaâs cats, but I never considered it a threat to our Journey, or to the Festival of Bast itself.â

Tweak shook her head.  âBella is right, sister Orangina.  How could anycat have known?â

âHow do we know there is a threat?â Diego spoke up.  âThis human has only been kind to us, so far.â  

Gromit, Hudson, Toffy, and Ham, who all had eaten the womanâs food just the night before, murmured agreement.

âMaybe sheâs just curious,â I added.

âHer motivations are immaterial,â Felix pointed out.  âIt is her intentions that concern us.  No human, not even Ebe, has ever actually witnessed the Festival of Bast.â

We were all silent for a moment.  

âShould we send a cat-call?â Ham ventured.  âTo let the other groups know?â

âOnly one problem with that idea, Ham,â Orangina said, and paused to let Ham earn some points towards his leadership position on the next Journey by figuring it out himself.

Almost immediately, Ham caught on.  âRight.  Sorry.  I guess weâre under radio silence, metaphorically speaking, from here on out.â  

âWhat?  Whatâs the problem with cat-calling?â Fafnir whispered, pawing at Wiggy.

âIf the human can understand us, sheâll hear our cat-call,â Wiggy whispered back.

Baby Girl stretched and stood up.  âJust a suggestion, but maybe we should be getting some distance between that human and ourselves.â

âGood plan,â Captain Tommaso agreed, glancing around nervously.  âI wonder how close she has to be to hear us?â

All of a sudden we felt bare and exposed.  Morning, during a Journey to the Festival of Bast, is supposed to be a time to rest, relax after the nightâs travels, and prepare for the Kittenfall games and contests that take place in the afternoon, while most of the actual Journeying goes on at night.  But instead, we hurried along the floor of the shallow canyon, following its northeast course as the sun crawled higher, our ears tensed for human footsteps.

STAY TUNED!!!!  How could we have known a human was listening to us?!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 20</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/372767</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 6 Oct 2007 16:26:36 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/372767</guid>
		<description>&acirc;It&acirc;s beautiful,&acirc; Baby Girl murmured as we gazed down at the valley.

&acirc;We made it,&acirc; Capt ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ âItâs beautiful,â Baby Girl murmured as we gazed down at the valley.

âWe made it,â Captain Tommaso said, sounding as through he still didnât quite believe it.

âWow,â Gromit agreed.

âWe still have a long way to go.â  Orangina, as usual, delivered the cold reality.  âBut,â she allowed herself a smile, âwe made excellent time for our first night of Journeying.â

From the low hill behind the water tower, we watched the sun rise to our right, over the eastern rim of the hills beyond the valley.  As the first rays shot over the trees and gleamed on the metal sides of the tank, Orangina, Tweak, and Felix led us all in the Journey Sunrise Song:

	âOur Journey greets the waking day
	With Lady Bast to lead us,
	We travel and we hunt and play
	With Lady Bast to feed us.

	âWe walk in places weâve never been
	With Lady Bast beside us,
	We remember things weâve never seen
	With Lady Bast to guide us.

	âThe night is ours, the stars and moon
	With Lady Bast above us,
	The day is ours, the sun at noon
	With Lady Bast to love us.â

Beside me, Ham rumbled in baritone.  Felix, Toffy, Diego, Hudson, Wiggy, Jack, and Gromit (who sang in a surprisingly deep voice for his size) rounded out the bass section, while Hudson, Captain Tommaso, Fafnir, and Tibby sang tenor.  Mama Kitty and Orangina harmonized on the alto section.  The rest of the females -- Bella, Tweak, Pepper, Baby Girl, and me -- sang soprano in various keys.

As the song ended, a woman stepped from behind the fence surrounding the tower.  She had long, frizzy white hair, and she was wearing a purple tie-dyed t-shirt, baggy kente cloth pants, and Birkenstock sandals over woolly socks.  It was the woman who had fed the cats in the burned house the night before.  She was smiling, although tears were streaming down her face.  As she walked slowly towards us with open hands, she said -- by which I mean, she communicated her thoughts to us, in badly accented but unmistakable Cat, âThat was beautiful.  I never thought I would hear anything so beautiful.â

âBy the Great Cat,â Felix hissed sharply.

âCan she understand us?â  Tweakâs eyes widened and the fur on her back stood straight up.

In answer came the humanâs thoughts, straight into our brains as though she were a cat herself.  âI understand you.  Please donât be afraid.â

Orangina took a step towards the woman as the rest of us backed away.  âIf you understand us, human, then hear this.  Go. Away.â

STAY TUNED!!!!  OMC!!!!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 19</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/371794</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 3 Oct 2007 18:42:20 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/371794</guid>
		<description>*** Another group of cats, this one led by Felix, has joined us on our Journey!  While Orangina, Twe ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** Another group of cats, this one led by Felix, has joined us on our Journey!  While Orangina, Tweak, and Felix try to reach a consensus, or at least a majority vote, on which direction we should take, the rest of us are catching our breath and getting to know our new traveling companions. ***

âLove the collar,â Bella said to Tibby, the orange and white tabby, peering at him through her splayed toes as she gnawed them.

Tibby glanced up from grooming his belly-fur.  âUh, thanks.  My mom makes me wear it to warn my pet chickens when Iâm coming.â

I was curious about the chickens.  And I thought that Tibbyâs red collar was quite dashing, to tell the truth.  But, tired from the nightâs Journey and feeling shy, and a little homesick, I curled up next to Ham, in the shadow of the juniper hedge, and absentmindedly groomed my tail.  My own warm bed felt far away, and my paws were sore.

âI still think you should take it off,â said the brown tabby.  âItâs not exactly subtle.â

âCaptain Tommaso, honey, accessorization is not about subtlety,â the long-haired orange and white cat drawled sweetly.

âAnd yet, you can get out of a collar faster than any cat I know.â  Jack, the big apricot tabby, flopped down next to his much more petite sister. 

Mama Kitty fluffed out her clean white ruff.  âThey ruin the lines of my fur.â

The little grey tabby, Baby Girl, playfully cuffed Captain Tommaso.  âLighten up about Tibsâs collar.  Weâre almost out of the city.  No oneâll hear it then but us and the mountain lions.â

Gromit, who had been sticking close to Hudson and sleepily grooming, froze with his paw halfway to his tongue.  âExcuse me, but ... it sounded like you just said mountain lions.â  

âMountain lions?â  Fafnirâs eyes widened.  âCool!â  

âOkay, cats,â Orangina broke in.  The three leaders had reached their decision.  âWeâve only got a couple of hours until sunrise.  Letâs get moving.â

âWait a minute.  Mountain lions?â Gromit squeaked, but Hudson and Diego hauled him to his feet as Orangina, Tweak, and Felix started rallying their respective groups.

Felix must have voted with Orangina on which way to go, because we turned left, following the road as it arced around a cluster of tennis courts and swimming pools, each one bigger than the grass field that had seemed like such an obstacle at the start of the night.  We scrambled along the ivy-covered banks that rose and fell and rose again on both sides of the road.  

I could tell we were almost out of the city now.  No sidewalks, no gridded intersections, houses farther between and almost hidden behind groves of redwood and acacia, the road narrower, winding more steeply uphill.  And a good thing, too, because even without Tibbyâs bell to announce us, eighteen cats would certainly have attracted unwanted attention, if there had been any humans around to notice.  

As the houses thinned out, we traveled farther from the road.  A creek ran along the bottom of a gully, and we paused to drink from it.  Baby Girl jumped right in, found a clump of water-greens, and munched away happily while I stared at her in amazement.  Tibby splashed Felix, who splashed him back, only Toffy accidentally got in the way, and all three toms wound up wrestling in the shallow water.  Ham and Hudson jumped in to join the fun.  Bella, Mama Kitty, and I cheered them on from the pebbly shore.  

âI guess Fela is finally over being tricked by those fish,â Mama Kitty laughed.

Fafnir caught a lizard and showed it to everyone.  

âCatch us some more of those, little brother,â Diego said.  âLizards are perfect Journey snacks.â

Glowing with pride, Fafnir darted ahead, pouncing at everything that moved.

When we started walking again, Toffy struck up a marching song, and all the other toms joined in:

	âFor Bast, for Bast 
	Great Mother to us all
	For Bast, for Bast
	We march at Kittenfall

	âFor Bast, for Bast
	Our Journeyâs underway
	For Bast, for Bast
	Weâll Journey night and day

	âFor Bast, for Bast
	Weâll climb the highest hill
	For Bast, for Bast
	Then weâll climb higher still

	âFor Bast, for Bast
	With every falling star
	For Bast, for Bast
	Weâll Journey long and far

	âFor Bast, for Bast
	Weâll climb the highest peak
	For Bast, for Bast
	The skyâs within our reach

	âFor Bast, for Bast
	Our Journey may be long
	For Bast, for Bast
	We sing this Journey song.â

... The song has lots more verses, but you get the idea.  I donât know why itâs traditionally sung only by toms, but girl cats have our own songs, too.

The sky was getting lighter, pink-tinged grey in the West and already orange-gold in the East, when we stepped from the shelter of trees and undergrowth into a circular clearing where a shiny metal cylinder loomed, several stories high and almost as far across.    

âWhat is that?â Wiggy asked, sounding more than slightly awed.  

Pepper squinted up at the shapes of letters on the side of the tower.  âWater, maybe?â

âA landmark,â said Orangina.

We crossed the clearing, and climbed a small hill behind it.  From the crest of the hill, we could see a green expanse that dropped into a valley.  We had reached the green preserve.

STAY TUNED!!!!  Mountain lions?!?]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Under Construction!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/371284</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 2 Oct 2007 14:31:52 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/371284</guid>
		<description>Hi cats, 

Well, as you can see, we had a little meltdown in Transmogrification Unit 17 ... 

*f ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hi cats, 

Well, as you can see, we had a little meltdown in Transmogrification Unit 17 ... 

*flips up welding mask and wipes grease from forehead* 

... It looks like the core overheated and burned out the main supercalifragicapacitor, so we had to order a new one.  And supercalifragicapacitors are not cheap, especially not the pink ones!

Of course, I don't have to tell you cats that without a supercalifragicapacitor to regulate the Transmogrification Unit's fallacium converter, the story and character arcs start misfiring.  

That in turn throws the dialog driver and the actionabler out of alignment, and you run the risk of shorting out your verisimilitude coil.  

Without a verisimilitude coil, the entire premise-generator shuts down.  

In other words, I'd better get that TU-17 back online! 

*flips welding mask back down and picks up an acetylene torch*

Thanks for your patience ... Chapter 19 and beyond will be along soon, I promise!!! 

So ... STAY TUNED!!!!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Happy Birthday To Me!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/369800</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 28 Sep 2007 10:19:09 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/369800</guid>
		<description>Hi everycat,

My birthday was pawsome!  I turned two years old, and it was my first birthday on Ca ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hi everycat,

My birthday was pawsome!  I turned two years old, and it was my first birthday on Catster and my first birthday in my forever-home with my Mom!  

Tayla and Ginger Belle made me a delicious sushi cake and a tasty buffet -- they are so sweet!  And I got stars and rosettes and pmails and made lots of new pals!  

And Mom made me a special birthday tuna dinner!  The only bad thing that happened was that when Mom started to take a picture of me with my birthday tuna, I got excited and went a little too close to the candles and before Mom could stop me I had frizzled my eyebrow-antennae!!!!  Yikes!  I wasn't hurt, but Mom felt just awful for being so careless.  :(

However, the smell of singed eyebrow did not affect my appetite -- the tuna was delicious!   

It was a great day!  Thanks for making it so happy, everycat!  

STAY TUNED for Chapter 19 of The Festival of Bast!!!!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 18</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/369159</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 26 Sep 2007 15:03:05 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/369159</guid>
		<description>&acirc;Should we run?&acirc; Gromit whispered, crouched low with his ears flat against his head.

&acirc;Don&acirc; ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ âShould we run?â Gromit whispered, crouched low with his ears flat against his head.

âDonât be scared, brother!â Fafnir said.  âTwelve cats could take down a mastodon!â

âSure, if eleven of them were saber-toothed tigers and the twelfth one had a gun,â Gromit hissed back.

âQuiet!â Orangina snapped, and the two young toms hushed up, abashed.

My heart was beating so hard I was sure everything with ears could hear it for miles, including whatever was across the street, coming towards us through the juniper hedge with a faint jangling sound.  That sound was familiar.  I recognized it at almost the same moment Tweak did.  

âCollar bells!â she said, and laughed.  âRelax, cats.â   

The dark leaves shook, and the bells jangled again, at about cat-height.

Orangina chuckled.  âOf course.â   She called out, âWell-met by moonlight!â

More rustling, and a large grey and white cat with warm green eyes appeared in the narrow gap between two bushes.  âWell-met by moonlight, fellow Journeyers!â he called.  He stepped out of the bushes and a group of cats followed him, slipping through the hedge one by one.  

A young tom, a slim brown tabby, emerged cautiously, glancing everywhere at once with round green eyes.  A pretty, petite grey tabby whose step was as confident and graceful as a dancerâs marched out next.  Then came a small, glamorous-looking cat with long, well-groomed fur, an orange tabby face and back, white body and paws, and a coquettish smile.  An apricot tabby, bigger around than a plump Christmas ham but with a determined glint in his gold-green eyes and a friendly, patient face, squeezed through the gap next, wheezing slightly.  Last was a sturdy tom with soulful gold eyes, orange stripes swirling over a white bib and paws, and a cocky, jaunty way of carrying his tail.  He was wearing a red collar with a shiny red bell, which tinkled as he walked. 

âOh, my,â Bella murmured, nudging me.  âI wouldnât mind sharing some catnip with that tom.â

âThe one with the collar?â I whispered.  I glanced sideways at Ham, who grinned at me and then started urgently grooming his back.  I twitched the end of my tail.  âNot bad.â  

âStop drooling, you two,â Hudson grumbled.  âYouâre worse than our mom when Spike takes off his shirt on Buffy The Vampire Slayer.â

âNot worse than my mom!â Diego laughed.

âMine either,â I said.

âOh, are you jealous, Hudson, darling?â  Giggling, Bella coiled her tail around Hudson, and nipped him on the ear.  Hudson scraped her off, blushing so furiously that the insides of his ears turned red.  

Orangina turned around and shot us all the stink-eye and we got quiet in a hurry.

âSorry if we startled you cats,â the leader continued as his group crossed the empty street.  He had a grey body and mask, with a white muzzle, belly, and paws, and he was tall and muscular.  âWe caught your scent a few blocks back and hurried to catch up with you.â

âAt an unreasonably fast pace for this hour, might I add, Felix,â the big apricot tom added, still trying to catch his breath.  He had a Southern accent, but a different one than Pepperâs.  âWell-met by starlight, yâall.â

The grey and white tom introduced himself, then the rest of his group.  âIâm Felix.  Journeying with me are Captain Tommaso, Baby Girl, Jack and his sister Mama Kitty, and Tibby.â

Orangina and Tweak quickly introduced their respective groups.  Then Orangina said,  âYou chose just the moment to join us, brother Felix,â  and the three leaders took a few steps away from the group and conferenced in low voices.

The rest of us had a few minutes to groom and make small talk.  But the Great Cat had almost completed her nightâs journey, and the sun would be rising soon.  

STAY TUNED!!!!  I canât wait to learn more about our new companions on the Journey!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Backstage tour of Jubilee's Adventure Production Studios Part 2!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/368782</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 25 Sep 2007 15:08:10 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/368782</guid>
		<description>Hi cats, 

We're hard at work on Chapter 18, which will be a really boffo, action-packed chapter,  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hi cats, 

We're hard at work on Chapter 18, which will be a really boffo, action-packed chapter, just as soon as we get it done! 

*sounds of whirring, banging, and a muffled explosion*

Now, on your right, you'll see Mom's office.  You may recognize the hot pink walls and orange polka-dot curtains from my photos.  

*a warning siren starts howling*

*workers in yellow Level A hazmat suits start running around in panic*

*raises voice over the commotion*  ... That's Mom's bedroom to the left ... did I mention that already? ... 

*smoke starts to fill the air*  

... If you'll step this way, we'll go through the secret passage to the computer imaging lab and the stunt team's gym ... *cough* ... 

*a computerized voice starts repeating "SYSTEM FAILURE! SYSTEM FAILURE!"*

... Everybody just stay calm ... *cough* ...

STAY TUNED!!!! Chapter 18 is under construction!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 17</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/367579</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 22 Sep 2007 15:06:59 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/367579</guid>
		<description>The street curved up and east.  On our left, the hillside rose sharply; to our right, it dropped dow ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ The street curved up and east.  On our left, the hillside rose sharply; to our right, it dropped down, just as sharply.  The houses on the left side of the street loomed over those on the right.

âHumans are like cats,â Orangina said, glancing up at a house that looked like a scaled-down version of Gone With The Windâs Tara.  âThey always want the best view, from the highest place.â

All the yards in this neighborhood were large, and looked like they were competing to be on a magazine cover. Every plant was pruned and groomed within an inch of its life; instead of faux-Mediterranean arbors heavy with wisteria or climbing roses, now there were ornamental flowering fruit trees and security lights.  

We moved quickly, taking advantage of the pre-dawn, the time that belongs to cats.  The houses were dark.  No cars passed us.  The Great Cat was high overhead.  

Soon, we came to a wide road.  The reflective paint of the pedestrian crosswalk glittered faintly against the pavement.   In a few hours, this street would be rushing with four lanes of cars, the sidewalks and crosswalks busy with humans, but we crossed unnoticed.  

After that, there was one more block, then the road we were following ended in another road, a road that continued to twist upwards, climbing out of the city and into the hills.   We paused here, in the shadow of a privet hedge, while Orangina and Tweak debated the best way to proceed.

âWe should cut across,â Tweak said, âthrough the parking lots and tennis courts that the road curves around.  Itâs too early for humans to be out.  No one will see us.â

âTrue enough about the humans, sister, but if we go that way, there are high fences to either circumnavigate or climb, and so it wonât really save us any time,â Orangina countered.  âBetter to take the long way around, this time.  Weâll have plenty of opportunities for short cuts later.â

Tweakâs blue-grey brow furrowed as she considered.  The two leaders put their heads closer together and lowered their voices so the rest of us couldnât hear.

âWhat happens if they disagree about the way we should go?â I asked Ham, who was cleaning his hind toes.  

âWell, I guess the groups could split up again,â Ham said.

âI heard thatâs how Pumpkin and Max met,â Bella chimed in, extending one back leg to get a better angle at grooming her tail.  

âWhat do you mean?â  Gromit asked.

âI heard that the first time Pumpkin led one of Kimbaâs groups on the Journey, she met Max, leading a group from another colony,â Bella explained.  âThe two groups started Journeying together, but Max and Pumpkin argued about every turn in the road.  Finally, they couldnât agree on what to do at an important juncture, and the groups split up again.  But once they were apart, they each found they couldnât make a good decision without the other to argue over it.  Both groups somehow reached the Festival of Bast, on the very last night of Kittenfall, and Pumpkin and Max were married that night.â  

Pepper sighed.  âThatâs so romantic.  Isnât it, sweetie?â   She nuzzled Wiggy, and he purred and nuzzled her back.

Diego suddenly jumped to his feet, his eyes wide.  âListen!â  

Twelve cats snapped to attention.  Fur prickled, claws extended, pupils dilated, we froze, staring in the direction Diego was pointing, at a shadowy gap in the shrubbery across the street.

âItâs downwind,â Toffy whispered.  âIt can smell us, but we canât smell it.â

âOr them,â Fafnir growled, baring his teeth.

Leaves rustled; a twig cracked.  Something was coming.

STAY TUNED!!!!  Oh, boy, this is exciting!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 16</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/366219</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 18 Sep 2007 17:27:05 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/366219</guid>
		<description>&acirc;And we are still purring today,&acirc; Tweak concluded.  &acirc;And dogs still chase us, trying to tear F ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ âAnd we are still purring today,â Tweak concluded.  âAnd dogs still chase us, trying to tear Felaâs stolen ham from our throats.  But the Princess cared for Fela with kindness for many months, until Fela set out again to find other humans to tame, and spread her gift of companionship to humans in other places, as Bast had told her to do.â

We were all quiet for a moment, as last words of the old tale faded into the night.  

âNow that was a story worthy of the Journey,â Diego proclaimed.

âWell told indeed!â Toffy agreed.

âWhen we wake up weâll argue about how all our mothers told it differently.â  Bella yawned widely and stretched her front paws.

âMaybe other cats tell it different, but no cat ever told it better,â Wiggy said, headbutting his sister, who smiled modestly and headbutted him back.

âNow,â Orangina said, âletâs get some rest.  Thereâs a long Journey still before us.  Weâll leave this place before the Great Cat leaves the sky.â

âGood plan, Orangina,â Tweak said.  She got up and leaped across a gap between two boulders to stand next to Orangina.  âOnce we reach the green preserve, it will be safe to travel by day, and if we hurry we can be there before the sun is very high.â

I felt ready to sleep for a day, but I was cuddled up with Bella and I didnât want her to make fun of me, so I didnât groan along with Toffy, Wiggy, and Hudson at the news that weâd be on the move again in just a few hours.  

The cave we were in was really more of a niche, about the length and height of a school bus, created where the house on the side of the hill was built over a natural rock formation.  Steel girders braced the ceiling, which was also steel, and vaulted with support beams.  In some places the larger boulders almost touched the beams.  The little cave was open along its front, and only a couple of meters deep, but it was several meters back from the sidewalk, the opening well-shielded by pines and bay laurels.  It was dark, and cool, and more than comfortable for twelve sleepy cats.  

Orangina and Tweak, now co-leaders, settled themselves at one end of the cave, on a high rock with a view of both the whole cave entrance and the cul-de-sac beyond.  Wiggy and Pepper coiled together, with Pepperâs chin on Wiggyâs shoulder and one possessive paw on his rump.  Close by, Fafnirâs paws twitched in a Viking dream.  On top of a nearby boulder, Gromit and Hudson sleepily groomed each otherâs ears.  Bella, Ham, and I curled up next to them.  Diego and Toffy were on the rock shelf right below us.   

I closed my eyes, snuggled into the warm fur pressed against me on both sides, listened to the gentle breathing of the cats all around me, and fell asleep, purring.

Too soon, a paw poking my ribs woke me from a dream in which I was swimming underwater, sleek as a seal, in pursuit of a magical fish that could grant wishes if you caught it but which laughed at me as it flickered just ahead of me, just out of reach.  The paw kept poking.  The dream scattered like a school of fish.  

âHey!â  Poke. Poke.  âWake up!â  Who else but Bella?

I stretched the stiffness from my legs before I opened my eyes.  I yawned a jaw-cracking yawn and blinked at Bella.  

âWake up, already!â  She was prancing with impatience, poking at Ham now.  âHey!â

Ham got to his feet, yawning.  âAll right, Bella, keep your fur on,â he grumbled.  Then he remembered that he wanted to be a group leader next Journey, and he shook himself awake and started poking Hudson and Gromit.

Fafnir was already awake, jumping around the cave.  Orangina and Tweak were conferring together on the rock where theyâd slept.  Diego and Toffy were groggily grooming themselves near the caveâs open mouth.

Bella and I went out of the cave together to use the bathroom.  We found Wiggy and Pepper  a meter or two up the hill, scratching in the dirt by the outside of the cave wall.  

âGood morning, ladies!â Wiggy greeted us.

âWell-met by starlight, sisters,â Pepper said.  (Southern cats still use the traditional âstarlightâ  when greeting other cats between moonset and sunrise, or when there is no moon.  Almost all other cats now just say âmoonlightâ from sunset to sunrise, whether thereâs a moon or not.)

âWell-met by moonlight, Wiggy and Pepper,â Bella said.  (See what I mean?)

âMind if we join you?â I asked.

âOh, we were just leaving,â Pepper said.

âItâs all yours!â Wiggy added, kicking a final pawfull of dirt behind him.

The two of them headed back down to the cave.  Bella and I made ourselves comfortable.

âWhat do you think of our new Journey companions, housecat?â Bella asked me.  

âWell,â I considered, âPepper seems a little shy, but sheâs a really good hunter, and maybe sheâll be less shy if weâre nice to her and she gets to know us.â

âTo know us is to love us,â Bella agreed, modestly.

âFafnir will be a lot of fun.  And Wiggy will fit right in with the other toms.  Heâs really nice.  And Tweak is smart, and a good leader.  She and Orangina already seem to be working well together.â   

Bella nodded, kicking in the dirt with her hind paws.  âIf I do say so myself, this is shaping up to be a Journey to remember.â

âHurry it up, girls!  There are toms waiting!â  Hudson called, bounding up the hill towards us.  Gromit was right behind him.

I shook dirt from my paws.  âGood morning to you too, Hudson,â I said, sticking my tongue out at him.  âWell-met by moonlight, Gromit.  Sorry if I embarrassed you last night.â  

âThatâs okay.â  Gromit smiled. 

Bella giggled.  âCome on, Jubilee, letâs go.â

At the opening of the cave, Orangina and Tweak were already starting to gather the cats together. 

âMy group is all here and ready,â Tweak was saying as Bella and I joined the group, pushing in between Ham and Toffy.  

âGromit and Hudson will be right here, Orangina,â I spoke up.

She nodded.  âAs soon as they join us, weâll be off.  We need to be outside the city before sunrise, and we have some distance to cover.â

âAnd once weâre out of the city, there will be fewer humans and buildings, but weâll still have to reach the green preserve,â Tweak said.

âThat will be our main rendezvous point for the groups of cats from Kimbaâs colony, and we will most likely meet other groups as well.  Then we must climb the hills to reach Sleeping Cat Mountain,â Orangina continued.

âDoes Sleeping Cat Mountain actually look like a sleeping cat?â I whispered to Ham.

âNot much,â he whispered back.  âItâs just kind of a traditional name, like Inspiration Point or Elm Street.â

Hudson and Gromit came bounding down the hill.  âHere we are!â Gromit called.  

Our expanded group all present and accounted for, we left the cave and headed up the street that curled from the cul-de-sac.

âI thought weâd gotten as high as we could get,â Fafnir said, as we climbed another steep slope covered with dense, slippery ivy.  

âIf we were as high as we could get, weâd be there already,â Tweak said.

STAY TUNED!!!!  A new day, new friends, and new adventures!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>I'm so happy I feel like singing!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/365885</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 17 Sep 2007 19:53:26 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/365885</guid>
		<description>Dear Diary, 

Guess what?!   Tibby asked me to go steady!!!  He is such a dreamboat!  (sigh!)

I ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Dear Diary, 

Guess what?!   Tibby asked me to go steady!!!  He is such a dreamboat!  (sigh!)

I am so happy!

Also, my mom made up a new song for me today.  She likes to change the words in songs to make them about me.  You can sing this one to the tune of "I Wanna Be Like You" from The Jungle Book. (I put the song on my jukebox, so you can listen to it if you don't know the tune!):

I love cats and kittens, oh
Cats and kittens, they love me
I wanna be a cat, nothing wrong with that
So teach me, Jubilee!

I wanna be a cat, Jubilee
I wanna poop in a box
I want long whiskers and a tail
And maybe cute white socks!

So I say, "Mew!
I wanna be just like you!
I wanna climb like you, 
Scratch like you too!
You'll see it's true, 
A girl like me
Can learn to be feline too!"

I wanna be a cat, Jubilee
I wanna sleep all day
Then I'd stretch, and eat some food, 
And groom myself and play!

So please teach me, Jubilee
How to purr and mew
Teach me how to be a cat
So I can be like you!

So I say, "Mew!
I wanna be just like you!
I wanna climb like you, 
Scratch like you too!
You'll see it's true, 
A girl like me
Can learn to be feline too!"

STAY TUNED!!!! Chapter 16 is on the way!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Welcome to the backstage tour of Jubilee's Adventure Production Studios!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/365024</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 15 Sep 2007 16:57:02 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/365024</guid>
		<description>Hi everycat,

I&acirc;m hard at work on Chapter 16!  Today I thought I&acirc;d take y&acirc;all on a little ba ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hi everycat,

Iâm hard at work on Chapter 16!  Today I thought Iâd take yâall on a little backstage tour here at Jubileeâs Adventure Production Studios.   Weâll have to be quick, because my mom will be back soon!  

Letâs start our tour with the library!  My mom loves to read.  If youâve been reading my diary, it might interest you to notice these particular titles among the others on the shelves:

Watership Down, Richard Adams
How the Cat Swallowed Thunder, Lloyd Alexander
The Hero With A Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell
Dâaulaireâs Book of Greek Myths
American Gods, Neil Gaiman
The Sandman, Neil Gaiman
The Silent Miaow, Paul Gallico
Grimmâs Fairy Tales
Mythology, Edith Hamilton
Swimmy, Leo Leoni
The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkein

Mom hasnât read the Warrior books, on purpose.  She is waiting until after this adventure of mine is done, and it is a good incentive to keep the story moving, ha ha!  

... During my first Awesome Adventure, Mom drove Dad crazy by watching movies like Lady and the Tramp and 101 Dalmatians over and over ... she claimed it was to help her learn to block out the chase scenes between the cats and the bad guys ...

Okay, heading upstairs.  In the bedroom, notice the stack of printouts of aerial maps and star positions littering the bed ... oops, here comes Mom!  

STAY TUNED!!!!  Chapter 16 is on the way!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 15  (Why Cats Purr -- The mystery explained!)</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/364319</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 13 Sep 2007 16:30:54 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/364319</guid>
		<description>&acirc;It was in the early days,&acirc; Tweak began, as we all got comfortable in warm, furry cat-heaps.  &acirc; ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ âIt was in the early days,â Tweak began, as we all got comfortable in warm, furry cat-heaps.  âIn those days, we didnât purr.  We could meow, and we could roar, and how we lost our roar is another tale.  But no cat ever purred until Fela stole the Kingâs meat from Dog.

âIt was during the time after Fela had tamed her first humans, and was roaming, looking for more human families to tame.  She came to village after village where the humans had dogs to guard their houses, and the dogs chased Fela away.  It got to be winter, and Fela was hungry and cold. 

âAt last Fela came to the richest village in that region, where the Kingâs house was.  The King, of course, had the best-stocked pantry in the whole valley, with sides of meat hanging from the ceiling, and barrels of fish, and wheels of cheese stacked like pancakes, and buckets of milk, and every other thing that a hungry cat dreams of.  But the pantry was guarded at night by the biggest, fiercest dog in the kingdom.  The other dogs had names like Fido and Rover and Buddy, but this dog was just called Dog.  

âFelaâs empty tummy growled as she schemed how to eat her fill.  The first night, she prowled around the Kingâs granary, listening to the mice gossip.  Mice are terrible gossips, as everycat knows.  The mice were sleek and plump from eating the Kingâs grain, but Fela did not eat any of them.  She could have lived comfortably off those fat royal mice, but Fela had a better idea.  So she stayed out of sight and listened, and learned what she could about the palace.  

âThe next day, to keep her strength up, Fela hunted the stringy winter-starved mice in the stubbled fields outside the village.  And that night she went again to the Kingâs granary.  She chased the mice, and caught one by the tail with her paw.  The shivering mouse closed its eyes and prepared to be Felaâs dinner, hoping that the end would be quick. 

âBut nothing happened -- no ripping claws; no tearing teeth.  The mouse opened its eyes and realized that Fela wasnât eating it.  It was so confused that it almost forgot to be terrified.  

â âDonât worry, little one,â Fela told it.  âIâm not hungry for such skimpy fare as you.  Iâve been eating in the Kingâs pantry tonight, and I got in right under that silly Dogâs nose.  Tomorrow night, Iâll do it again.  I am Fela, and no dog can catch me!â  With that, Fela let the mouse go, and it scurried back to spread Felaâs words to all the other mice in the granary.

âFela smiled.  

âSure enough, by the following nightfall, the rumor that Fela had robbed the Kingâs pantry, and planned to do it again, was being whispered by every creature in the village.  Even the pantry mice started to believe that they really had seen Fela there, although some mice claimed that Fela was brown with stripes like ripples in the sand, while other mice said she was black as midnight, and others insisted she was grey as smoke; and some swore that she was bigger than Dog, and others that she was no larger than a rat.  

âDog heard the rumors too, of course, as Fela had intended.  He was furious.  And also confused and frightened, which, because he wasnât very bright, only made him more furious.  How had Fela gotten in, when he, Dog, guarded the only door, and the windows were battened shut?  What if the humans noticed missing food?  He, Dog, would be punished!  âBy my breath, Fela wonât get past me again!â Dog vowed to himself.  âTonight, Iâll be ready and waiting for her!â  

âThat night, when the moon was high, Fela caught a rat as it picked through the Kingâs garbage.  After she ate the inside parts, she gnawed off the ratâs head, tail, and paws, skinned it, and put the skin across her head, fur-side up, so that it drooped over her ears on both sides.  Then Fela held her breath and rolled in the garbage heap, covering herself with every disgusting thing she could find.  When she was stinking and filthy, her beautiful fur caked with muck, and the rat-skin disguising her pointed ears, she went to the Kingâs pantry, which was one of a small cluster of whitewashed mud-brick buildings in a shaded courtyard behind the palace.  The small windows were tightly covered with reed mats, and the latch on the door was too high for Fela to reach.

â âBow-wow! Bow-wow-whooo goes there?â barked Dog, leaping to his feet as Fela approached. 

â âGreetings, brother Dog!â Fela panted, pretending she had run a long way.  âI came to warn you!  That scamp Fela is nearby!  Sheâs on her way here to rob the Kingâs pantry!â

â âI knew it!â Dog growled, looking around wildly, as though he expected Fela to jump from every shadow at once.  He had been on edge all night, waiting for Fela, chasing everything that moved.

â âNot to worry, brother Dog, you wonât have any trouble catching her.  She is only a puny little thing, I hear, and your mighty jaws would snap her in half.  You are strong and fast, and she is weak and slow.  She would scarcely give you sport.â  Fela cowered obsequiously before Dog, lolling her tongue out.

âDog sniffed Fela suspiciously, but she smelled like a dog.  

â âAnd surely,â Fela went on, groveling and wagging her tail, âa noble beast like yourself is far too clever and wise to be taken in by any of Felaâs ridiculous little tricks.â 

âDespite himself, Dogâs chest swelled with the strange, ugly little dogâs flattery.  

â âYou shouldnât feel at all humiliated that she managed to outwit you last night,â Fela continued, dripping drool onto Dog's paws.  âIn fact, Iâm sure it was part of some larger plan of yours, clever as you are.â

â âYes, thatâs it!â Dog boasted, as relieved as if it were actually true.  âIt was part of my plan all along!  I, uhrrrrrruh, I just wanted Fela to get careless when she returns tonight!â

âFela nearly choked, trying not to laugh.  âBrilliant, brother Dog!  No, thereâs no need at all for you to worry about keeping your job.â  She suddenly froze in place, cocking her head.  âDid you hear that?â

âImmediately, Dog leaped up again, barking furiously, and ran all the way around the pantry building, sure that around every corner he would catch Fela trying to climb through a window.  Fela waited, chuckling, until Dog returned.  âYou scared her off, brother Dog!  Well-done!  I saw her cowardly tail disappear over the palace wall!  You have nothing to fear.â  

âDog sat down to catch his breath.  He was accustomed to just standing in front of the pantry door and growling, not to doing  a lot of running.  

â âIâm sure that if that sneaky Fela comes back tonight, youâve got a plan all ready to teach her a lesson,â Fela said, standing up as though she were about to leave.  

â âI most certainly do,â Dog bluffed.

" 'Itâs a good thing youâre so well-prepared,â Fela added.  âAn important dog like yourself canât afford to be made a fool of, you know.â  

â âWhat do you mean?â Dog asked, frowning uncertainly.

â âNothing at all, brother Dog,â Fela replied.  âA lesser dog might have cause for concern over what the humans would surely to do a watchdog who let Fela steal from the Kingâs pantry.  But I see that you have the situation under control.  Iâll leave you to your duty.  Goodnight.â  And she started to walk away.

â âWait,â Dog said, before Fela had taken three steps. âUhrrrrrruh, why donât you stay awhile and keep me company?  Itâs, uhrrrrruh, part of my plan.â

â âWhat an excellent idea, brother Dog!  Two noses are better than one, and four ears are better than two,â Fela exclaimed, smiling to herself, and she sat down by the pantry door next to Dog, and the two of them kept watch together.

âEvery few minutes, Fela would sit bolt upright, pointing her nose into the wind, straining her ears towards an imaginary sound, or insisting that she had seen a flash of tail or whisker.  Fela kept Dog leaping and snapping at every shadow, and running laps around the courtyard, until Dog flopped on the ground, panting.  

â âIâm sure you have a much better idea in mind, brother Dog,â Fela said solicitously, âbut it seems to me that it would be much easier to guard the pantry from inside.  Instead of all that undignified chasing and running, weâll simply wait for Fela to come to us.â

âDogâs exhausted ears perked up.  âYes, uhrrrruh, as a matter of fact, that was exactly my plan.  Fela will never expect it.â   He lifted the latch with his nose, and pushed the pantry door open with his front paws, and Dog escorted Fela right into the Kingâs pantry.

âAll the good smells in the pantry nearly made Fela dizzy, but she kept her head.  âIâm sure this is already the next part of your plan, brother Dog,â she said, âbut perhaps you should bar the door, so Fela canât get in that way.â

âDog agreed that this had indeed been exactly the next part of his plan, and he dragged the bar across the door, locking it from the inside.  

â âNow, brother Dog,â said Fela, âyour plan is working perfectly!  All we have to do is wait here for that little brute Fela, and sheâll see whoâs the clever one.â

âAfter they had waited a while, Dog, worn out from all the worry and exertion of the night, found himself nodding off in the warm pantry.  Fela assured him, âYouâve earned your sleep, brother Dog.  Surely Fela knows when she is defeated.  Rest, and let me keep watch.â  And Dog, with a grateful grunt at his helpful new friend, rolled over onto his side and was soon snoring heavily. 

âOnce Dog was asleep, Fela wasted no time in helping herself to the Kingâs mutton, ham, cheese, milk, and fish, laughing to herself the whole time over Dogâs gullibility.  But she ate so much that she, too, became drowsy, and before she knew it Fela had fallen asleep, right on top of Dog, on the floor of the Kingâs pantry, surrounded by gnawed bones and cheese rinds, and with a half-chewed bite of ham still in her mouth.

âThe next thing Fela knew, there was a loud banging on the door -- the servants had come to begin meal preparations for the day, and had found the pantry door barred from within.  Dog lumbered to his feet, barking in confusion.  

â âItâs Fela!  She was here!â Fela cried, leaping up quickly, and trying to gulp down the ham.  âHurry and you can catch her!â 

âBut the rat-skin covering her ears had slipped off as she slept.  She saw in Dogâs face, an instant before he lunged at her, that he knew he had been tricked.  Fela sprang away from Dogâs jaws just in time.  She jumped onto a shelf of spices, and climbed it until she could reach a window set high in the whitewashed wall, too high for Dogâs leaping paws and teeth.  With her sharp claws she tore away the woven reeds covering the window, and jumped through the hole in the reeds just as the servants broke down the door.  

âThe servants saw Dog in the middle of the pantry, and all around him the bones from the Kingâs meat and fish.  They jumped to conclusions, and angrily reached for Dogâs collar.  Dog, fearing that he was about to be demoted to guarding the Kingâs laundry or some other lowly position, charged past the servants, and ran through the courtyard after Fela, howling at the top of his lungs, âFela!  Iâll get you!â 

âThe startled servants picked themselves up and gave chase to the obviously mad Dog.  Dog chased Fela, and the servants chased Dog, until Fela had a stitch in her side from running on a full stomach.  She hoped what the mice had said about the palace layout was accurate.  She dodged down a narrow path, overhung with vines that flowered even in winter, and around a fountain, and found herself in a small, circular courtyard.  At the far end, a low table was set with golden plates of fruit carved into the shapes of animals, and a young woman reclined at the table.  Fela ran straight for the Princess, and hid under the table as the royal maiden jumped up in shock at the barking Dog and shouting servants disturbing her breakfast.  Under the table, Fela braced her paws and puffed out her fur, facing Dog bravely as he bore down on her, snarling, ready to rip her belly open and show its contents to the kitchen staff to save his own hide.  

â âStop!â the Princessâs voice rang out, and the servants grabbed Dogâs collar and held him, choking and lunging, at bay.  âWhatâs going on here?â

âAll the servants bowed and scraped, and Dog twisted and yelped, trying to get at the sly little thief who had tricked him, but the servants held him fast.

âFela tried to sigh with relief, but instead she found that her last hastily-chewed mouthful of ham was still stuck in her throat.  She tried to swallow it, but it only made a strange buzzing noise. 

âThe Princess kneeled to peer under the table at Fela.  She saw Felaâs sleek fur, and her dainty pointed ears, and her bright eyes, and she heard the strange buzzing noise that Fela made as she tried unsuccessfully to clear her throat. âDog!' exclaimed the Princess, reaching for Fela.  âDonât you dare harm this beautiful little creature, who makes such an enchanting sound.â

â âFela,â Dog growled, âmay you forever choke on that stolen mouthful.â

â âAnd so I shall,â agreed Fela, purring happily as the Princess carried her into the palace in her own royal arms.â

STAY TUNED!!!!  More adventures are on the way!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 14</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/363591</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:19:47 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/363591</guid>
		<description>&acirc;Let&acirc;s hunt!&acirc; Fafnir said, as he gnawed between his toes.  &acirc;I&acirc;m a really good hunter.  I&acirc; ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ âLetâs hunt!â Fafnir said, as he gnawed between his toes.  âIâm a really good hunter.  Iâm a better hunter when I wear my Viking helmet, but Tweak and Wiggy wouldnât let me bring my Viking helmet.  What does âconspicuousâ mean?â

âIt means you donât get to wear your Viking helmet on the Journey to the Festival of Bast,â Wiggy said, exchanging weary looks with Tweak.  

âIâm sure youâre an excellent hunter, Fafnir,â Orangina said, smiling.  âYour skills will be valuable as we Journey.â 

Diego lapped at his white chest-fur.  âA hunt sounds good to me,â he said.

With an effort, Toffy twisted around to groom his fluffy orange back.  âA deli buffet sounds better, but since Hamâs dad isnât catering, I guess weâre forced to rely on our primitive instincts.â  

âI donât know if I can afford the mice in this neighborhood,â Bella joked.

âI bet they come with little paper frills on their hind legs,â Pepper giggled, in her sweet Southern accent.

âFree-range, organic, cruelty-free mice!â Gromit piped up.  

âWell, we are in Berkeley, after all,â I pointed out, and everycat laughed.  

It was a good hunt.  Pepper was like a tiny tortoiseshell lioness, mercilessly scooping mice, shrews, and voles from where they hid and scurried under the ivy and in the grass of the nearby yards.  Even Bella, the best hunter in our little group, was impressed, and hunted all the harder so as not to be outdone.  Fafnir, for all his goofy Viking talk, was in fact a pretty good hunter, too.  Hudson and Gromit tag-teamed, passing shrews from paw to paw.  Toffy didnât waste energy on playing with his food; he waited in one spot for movement under the ivy, then clamped down a quick, lethal paw on the unwary mouse.  Diego and Wiggy efficiently caught a pile of lizards, as a side dish to accompany our main course of rodents.  I hunted with Ham, and he did most of the work in catching the mouse that we cornered against the trunk of a eucalyptus tree.  I was out of practice after so long indoors, even though Ham was too polite to say so.  I vowed to improve my hunting skills along the Journey.  Orangina and Tweak had disappeared into the thicket of juniper bushes that enclosed the cliff like walls of the white concrete house, and they returned with a rat the size of a well-fed Pomeranian.  

It wasnât a deli buffet, but the rat tasted a little like leftovers from a charity luncheon, the lizards were pleasantly chewy, and the mice, shrews, and voles were fatty and tender.  We all ate until our third eyelids started to slide across our irises, like belts being loosened.  Between belches and paw-cleaning, Wiggy, Ham, and Hudson led a lazy debate over the merits of shrew versus vole.   

After a while, we settled into furry piles, and Toffy said, âHow about a story before we sleep?â

Everycat agreed that this was a great idea.

âIâll tell one,â Tweak volunteered.  âThis is the way my mother told this story to me, and this is the story of how Fela got her purr.â

STAY TUNED!!!!  Why do cats purr?  Find out here, in Chapter 15!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 13</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/363211</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 10 Sep 2007 17:52:52 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/363211</guid>
		<description>I sprinted the last few meters of the path, and waited with Orangina, Gromit, Hudson, Toffy, Diego,  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I sprinted the last few meters of the path, and waited with Orangina, Gromit, Hudson, Toffy, Diego, and Bella in the thorny shadows between the rosebushes and the bamboo fence.  Toffy was intently cleaning crepe myrtle petals from between his toes.  Diego greeted me with a wink, then went back to picking spiderwebs out of his long whiskers.

Gromitâs pupils were huge and he was prancing in place.  âJubilee, wasnât that incredible?  I want to do it again!â  He caught himself and his nose turned bright red.  âThe stairs, I mean.  Just the stairs!â

Bella and I were still giggling together when Ham jogged to the end of the fence and joined us behind the rosebush.  With the group all present and accounted for, Orangina led us around the end of the bamboo fence and towards the smell of the other cats.  The security lights on the sides of the houses created, ironically, plenty of shadows for easy darting and hiding.  We were now in another cul-de-sac, ringed with large, expensive houses (even a cat could tell they were expensive), overlooking the valley below.  The cul-de-sac tilted higher on the northeast rim, and at the highest point on that rim perched a house that looked like ice cubes stuck together in a highball glass.  Its poured-concrete slabs clung like a bird dropping to the side of the hill.  Where the structure faced the cul-de-sac, it jutted out slightly, creating an overhanging crag that sheltered, of all things, a small but actual cave in the ivy-covered hillside.  Several sets of cat eyes gleamed in the shadows.  Here and there, the ivy rustled with the scurrying of tasty-smelling mice and lizards.

As we approached the cave, a mostly-grey cat with a white bib and paws galloped towards us.  The dark leather of his nose stood out against his white muzzle like a punctuation mark.  âHi!  Iâm Fafnir!  Tweak said weâd be joining up with more cats here.  Weâre the first cats here so far.  Come meet my family!â  

He bounded ahead of us before Orangina could finish saying, âWell-met by moonlight, little brother.â  

âOh, right, sorry, well-met by moonlight,â Fafnir called back as he bounced through the ivy.  

We followed Fafnir up the short ivy slope to the shallow stone cave, where three more cats were perched on the rocks.  A smallish female, blue-grey all over, with sparkling gold eyes, stood up as we entered.  âWell-met by moonlight, fellow cats,â she said.  âMy name is Tweak.  These are my brothers, Fafnir and Wiggy, and Wiggyâs girlfriend Pepper.  Are you Journeying to the Festival of Bast, too?â

âWell-met by moonlight, sister,â said Orangina.  The rest of us settled in for the requisite round of greetings and introductions.

Wiggy was the eldest, with a gentle face, and grey markings that resembled a saddle and helmet over his snowy white chest, belly and legs.  His girlfriend, Pepper, hung shyly by his side.  She was a young calico tortoiseshell, with white paws and bib, and a jagged white blaze between her wide green-gold eyes.  Pepper must be a popular name for torties, I thought, remembering Cricketâs tortie kitten.  Tweak was smaller and younger than Wiggy, but where her older brother was mellow and laid-back, Tweak was full of feisty energy.  I could see why she was leading their group.  They all seemed to regard Fafnir, the youngest, with a mixture of exasperation and amusement.

Once the formalities were done with, we all settled down to chat and get better acquainted over a long grooming.  As tired as we all were, the conversation rapidly turned to how long it had been since weâd all last eaten, and how we might go about getting some supper.  

STAY TUNED!!!!  More Catster pals will be joining the Journey soon!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 12</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/362323</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 8 Sep 2007 15:24:03 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/362323</guid>
		<description>I nuzzled Ham&acirc;s cheek, feeling much shyer about it than when I&acirc;d nuzzled Gromit, and left Ham sm ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I nuzzled Hamâs cheek, feeling much shyer about it than when Iâd nuzzled Gromit, and left Ham smiling bashfully as I crept from the shadow of the fig tree. 

I wasnât afraid as I crossed the end of the cul-de-sac.  I felt as though I was onstage, for any creature, human, dog, or mouse, to see all the way down the hill, all the way back to Momâs house.  That house was so far away now.  My whiskers felt incandescent; my paw pads buzzed.  I pictured the glossy gleam of my black fur in the street light, and the contrast of my bib and paws, milk-white splashed on obsidian-black.  I imagined how I looked as I ran, because I was running, even though I somehow wanted the moment to last, feeling the youthful strength of my legs, the joy of breathing in the summer night air, the Great Cat glowing down at me from the sky.  As my front paws touched the first stair, I looked up, and high above the dark silhouette of the hillside, a shooting star arced down.  

On the steps, I saw more clearly why Orangina had insisted on caution.  I hesitated.  The stairs were pinkish-grey stone, broad enough for two humans to easily pass one another, and scattered with browning leaves.  From a distance, the staircase seemed to simply sit upon the surface of the hillside and disappear into the ivy, but in fact it was cut deeply into the side of the hill, and the slope was less steep than I had expected.  Tall, smooth fences flanked the stairs on both sides.  On the left, the fence was set a couple of feet from the steps, and between its vertical slats and the stone stairs was a gap of scrabbly grey dirt and dusty bark chips where ivy and blackberry vines tumbled, and in some places climbed the fence and clung to the overhanging branches of the bay laurels growing in a row behind it.  On the right, close by the stairs, as though the person on the other size wanted to claim every inch of their yard and keep all others out, rose a high barrier of bamboo -- not live, growing bamboo, but bamboo split and lashed into a rigid wall.  Both fences were taller than a man, had no spaces to squeeze through, and looked difficult to climb.  

I glanced over my shoulder at the the fig tree where Ham was waiting for me to get up the steps, the yellow-lit cul-de-sac, and the tree-lined street descending below.  Above me, the stairs loomed.  What if I were taken by surprise by someone or something coming down the stairs and around that curve?  The cover of ivy and blackberry on the left wasnât very heavy.  I reminded myself that I could easily dodge or outsprint or scratch anyone approaching me, and that Orangina, Bella, Diego, Toffy, Hudson, and Gromit had already gone up and were waiting for me that the top.  I took a deep breath, let it out, and started up the stairs.  

The feeling now of being on a stage was a little less exciting and a little more like that dream my mom has sometimes, where sheâs performing in a show and itâs about to start and she hasnât been to any rehearsals.  The fur on my back prickled.  Judging by the beach-towel sized spider webs spun at lazy leisure along and across the staircase, few humans ever came this way.  The webs glowed gold in the lights placed at intervals along the stairs.  In the center of each web, a well-fed spider dozed, head-down.  I ducked my tail beneath the lower webs, acutely aware of the contrast of my black back against the pale pinkish steps in the light.  Why do humans feel the need to light up everything at night, anyway, I wondered.  

I tried not to hurry, telling myself that I wouldnât be seen, and even if I was, then what was so strange about one lone cat on a stair.  At last I came to where the stairs turned, and went around the turn, and nothing was waiting there with bloody jaws to eat me or a cage to catch me.  The stairs continued around the turn, then became a white concrete path.  The tops of rosebushes spiked above the bamboo fence.  

I trotted up the path, smelling the bay laurel and the roses, and suddenly I caught on the wind the scent of cats, unfamiliar cats, just a few meters away.  There were cats on the other side of the ivy and blackberry, behind the weathered redwood fence and the row of bay laurels.  This must be the resting place Orangina had mentioned.  

âThis way, Jubilee!â  Oranginaâs golden eyes were shining in the shadows at the end of the bamboo fence.

STAY TUNED!!!!  Weâre about to meet some new friends!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 11</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/361571</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 6 Sep 2007 17:17:39 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/361571</guid>
		<description>As far as I could tell, there wasn&acirc;t much attention to attract.  No cars entered the cul-de-sac; t ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ As far as I could tell, there wasnât much attention to attract.  No cars entered the cul-de-sac; there were lights in some windows, but the houses were quiet.  Still, Orangina had a point -- the streetlight cast a glow onto the face of the hill, and any cat climbing the stone steps would be illuminated, exposed and visible most of the way up, until the steps curved out of sight.  And, of course, Orangina was in charge.  Contrary to human opinion, itâs not actually difficult to herd cats; itâs just that only a cat with leadership skills can do it, and only on special occasions.  

âIâll go first and wait for everycat behind the rose bushes at the end of the path.  Ham, youâll go last.  Send the others up one by one after me,â Orangina said.

Ham, who had been at the rear of the group ever since Orangina told him to take that position before we crossed the fence behind the burned house, nodded.  He really did want to lead a group on next yearâs Journey.

Orangina ran from beneath the sheltering leaves of the fig tree and across the bulb of the cul-de-sac.  Her orange stripes glowed in the bright cone of street lamp light.  From our hiding place, we watched her cross the pavement, not bothering to keep out of sight -- nothing unusual about one cat roaming at night, after all -- and start up the staircase.  She kept close to the dark tangle of vines on the left side of the stairs, but she was still in plain view.  

âEasy as catching a pre-killed mouse,â Bella said, as Orangina climbed the stone steps two at a time.  âIâll go next.â   

âNot yet,â Ham said.  

A few more stairs and Orangina disappeared around the curve of the staircase.  

âOkay, now go,â Ham said to Bella.

âSir, yes Sir, Sir.â  Well, some cats are harder to herd than others.  Bella scrunched her pink nose at Ham, and darted across the cul-de-sac and up the stairs, her white paws flashing.  She quickly reached the point where the staircase curved, and the silver-striped tip of her tail flicked out of sight.

Diego went next.  âI donât see the need to run,â he commented as he stepped from the shelter under the fig tree, and he strolled to the end of the cul-de-sac, just a cat enjoying the moonlight.  I was impressed.

âPersonally, I think Iâll run,â Gromit muttered.

Diego ascended the stairs at a casual pace.  When Diego had gone behind the curve, Toffy said, âWhateverâs at the top of that hill, I hope thereâs enough of it to eat,â and took his time getting to the other side of the cul-de-sac and up the staircase. 

Gromit nervously headbutted Hudson.  âIâll go after you,â he whispered.  

âSee you at the top, nerd-face,â Hudson said, butting Gromit back.  He jogged to the end of the cul-de-sac, and scaled the stairs in leaps. 

Gromit hesitated, reluctant to leave the fig treeâs shadow.  

Ham nudged him.  âYou saw the others do it.  Itâs perfectly safe.â

âYou can do it, Gromit.â  I nuzzled his cheek.

It worked.  Gromit's nose reddened; he stammered something, and darted away.  He was up the staircase before you could say âFelix Domesticus.â

Ham was laughing.  âI have to remember that motivational technique when Iâm leading my own group.â   He smiled at me.  âMaybe I should practice it on you, Jubilee.â

I giggled.  âMaybe later.  I want to see whatâs at the top of those stairs.â

STAY TUNED!!!!  What could those stairs lead to?]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Fun With Potty Training! (HELP!!!! My Mom is insane!)</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/361281</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 5 Sep 2007 23:02:55 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/361281</guid>
		<description>Hey everycat, 

Mom is starting to wonder if she is truly being a little overoptimistic on this on ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hey everycat, 

Mom is starting to wonder if she is truly being a little overoptimistic on this one.  I could really use the help and advice of other cats whose moms have, for whatever reason, decided to potty train you.  (My mom is doing it for two reasons.  Reason two: because I like to kick my litter around, and Mom wants to sweep less often.  Reason one: to see if it's actually possible.)

I'm fine with using the metal bowl in the commode, as long as it has litter in it.  A scant teaspoon of litter is enough, but an empty bowl, or -- horrors! -- water in the bowl, is not acceptable.  I REALLY REALLY like to dig and kick in my litter.  A couple of weeks ago, Mom tried making the leap to replacing the last crumbs of litter with a little water.  Well, I peed in the bowl with the water once, but I hated it, so I then somehow completely held everything for over a day.  (I don't go outside, so Mom knows this stuff ... it's so embarrassing ...)  Then, when I couldn't hold it anymore, I went into the kitchen, stuck my head into an empty cardboard 12-pack beer box for some privacy, and pooped on the kitchen floor.  (For real.  Mom witnessed this event and wishes her camera had been nearby.)   I was of course angry and humiliated at being reduced to such extremes, but Mom was very understanding.  She just cleaned up and then apologized to me for pushing my training too fast and promised to let me set the pace.  

She concluded that I'd refused to use the bowl with water in it because she'd been negligent in teaching me proper paw-position on the toilet seat.  And she'd been negligent in that because I really don't enjoy being touched and interfered with while I am using the bathroom -- can you blame me?  I ask you, what could be more demeaning than having your mom physically move your hind paw while you try to go to the bathroom??? -- and she was trying to respect my personal space.   Well, that had clearly backfired.  So we went back to a little litter in the bowl, and we started working on paw position, which first required a few days of her just standing in the bathroom and petting and touching me every time I used the litter bowl, working up to me letting her actually move my paw without my running away. Fortunately for us both, from my first try I put three paws on the seat and only one hind foot in the metal bowl for support.  She's diligent, and I am eager to please, so we've had no more "accidents."

... Also, Mom would like to state for the record that she actually does have a life beyond waiting for  a cat to go to the bathroom, so it's hard for her to be there every time ... Thank Bast ... 

Anyway, we've been working on paw position and meanwhile VERY GRADUALLY reducing the litter.  Today, Mom decided to try again with eliminating that last teensy dusting of litter -- no water this time; just an empty metal bowl nested in the toilet bowl.  Again, no thanks.  Mom heard me scuffling upstairs -- I peed in the bowl and then knocked over the bathroom trashcan, as though I were looking for something to wipe my paws on.  She came up, petted and praised me for using the bowl, emptied and cleaned the bowl, cleaned up the scattered bathroom trash.  A few minutes later I knocked over the trash again.  Mom heard it, and came upstairs.  Fortunately, she is pretty smart and understood what I was trying to tell her.  She put a bit of litter into my  bowl.  I immediately jumped up onto the toilet seat and pooped in the bowl -- WITH ALL FOUR PAWS ON THE SEAT!!!!  Perfect paw placement!  So it was I guess what you'd call a partial victory.  Mom is delighted that I am such a good communicator and have learned proper paw position, but hoping that we aren't stuck at a plateau on the litter issue.  

Any suggestions from other potty-trained cats about how to transition from litter to water?

Stay tuned for Chapter 11 of "The Festival of Bast", coming tomorrow!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 10</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/360746</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 4 Sep 2007 16:22:37 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/360746</guid>
		<description>The Great Cat climbed high in the sky, and we kept her ahead of us and slightly to our right as we J ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ The Great Cat climbed high in the sky, and we kept her ahead of us and slightly to our right as we Journeyed East, uphill through thickly flowering late-summer yards.  The deep green leaves of rose bushes were silvery in the moonlight, and the night air carried wafts of jasmine.  We moved from shadow to shadow, behind bushes and through fences.  Lights were on in the windows of houses, but the street was quiet, and the houses set far enough back from the road that we could easily avoid the bright circles cast by streetlights.  

âHow much longer will we be walking tonight, Orangina?â Toffy wheezed as we threaded beneath a small grove of crepe myrtle, fallen pink petals sticking to our paws.  

âNot much farther tonight,â Orangina said over her shoulder.  

âHow much farther does ânot much fartherâ mean, exactly?â Gromit asked plaintively.  

âJourneying through the city is dangerous,â Orangina said, ânot to mention incompatible with the Journey games.  The sooner we leave the city, the sooner our Journey truly begins.â   

âTrue enough,â Diego admitted.  âItâs hard to concentrate on telling a story and watch out for humans and dogs and cars and stay out of sight at the same time.â

âWhen we join the other cats in the green preserve, now that will be a Journey!â Ham said.  Diego and I were walking with him at the back of the group.  âGames, and songs, and stories, and hunting.  Youâll love it, Jubilee.â

We jumped a low picket fence.  In the next yard, music and voices spilled from the house, and we hurried past, keeping to the darkness under an arbor vined with ivy and wisteria.  

âHowever,â Orangina continued, âwe are near the end of our travels for tonight.â

Behind Oranginaâs back, Gromit and Toffy exchanged skeptical glances.  Bella, who was walking behind them with Hudson, betrayed her weariness by staying quiet.  Hudson was panting.  Diegoâs voice was cheerful as ever, but his tail was sagging.  My paw pads were sore from walking on pavement.  My ears ached from hours of high-alert pricking, rotating, and flattening.  Even stolid Hamâs whiskers looked droopy.  

We picked our way through an overgrown bed of Lily of the Nile, between the tall green stalks, each topped with a ball of narrow, fluted purple blossoms, stepping lightly over the long leaves.  Then the road bent sharply.  The street which had paralleled our course ended in a row of reflective concrete barrels.  A narrow lane twisted off to the left, curving steeply uphill.  A single streetlight illuminated the small cul-de-sac at the top, less than a hundred meters ahead.  A steep hill, dense with dark glossy ivy, rose behind the cul-de-sac.  As we got closer to it, I saw that there were stone stairs set into the side of the hill, the steps cutting a path through the broad leaves. 

We paused beneath a low-branched fig tree a few houses away from the end of the cul-de-sac.  âAt the top of that staircase is where weâll rest for the night.  There will be other cats resting in this spot as well, if this Journey is like past ones,â  Orangina told us, as we gathered close around her in the pool of shadow.  âAs you can see, the stairs are the easiest and quickest way to the top of the hill.  One cat at a time.  It will attract less attention.â

STAY TUNED!!!!  More cats are joining the Journey soon!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>hard at work...</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/360329</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 3 Sep 2007 18:00:45 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/360329</guid>
		<description>Hey everycat, 

As you can tell by my new pictures, which Mom took this afternoon, I am hard at wo ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hey everycat, 

As you can tell by my new pictures, which Mom took this afternoon, I am hard at work on Chapter 10 of The Festival of Bast!  

Thanks for your patience, and stay tuned!!!

Nose kisses, 
Jubilee]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>happy long weekend!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/359436</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 1 Sep 2007 11:09:48 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/359436</guid>
		<description>Hey everycat, 

Charles Dickens, who published almost all of his great novels in serial form, had  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hey everycat, 

Charles Dickens, who published almost all of his great novels in serial form, had this to say about the relationship of the serial writer with his or her audience:  "Make them laugh; make them cry; make them wait."  

So, gentle readers, bear that philosophy in mind ... because you'll have to wait a couple of days (no longer than a couple, if I have anything to say about it) for Chapter 10.  Mom and Dad have this crazy idea that they want to spend lots of time together this weekend.  Dad got a pawsome promotion at work, so he'll be starting a new job soon and will be really busy for a while; hence, this weekend, Mom and Dad are spending "quality time" together.  

Enjoy your long weekend with your humans, everycat!  

The story will continue with Chapter 10, coming SOON!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 9</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/359103</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 31 Aug 2007 13:52:54 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/359103</guid>
		<description>&acirc;Well told, Diego!&acirc;  Ham said.  We paused behind a hydrangea bush to wait for a car to pass befo ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ âWell told, Diego!â  Ham said.  We paused behind a hydrangea bush to wait for a car to pass before crossing a street.  âIn my motherâs version of that story, Fela warns the fish that theyâd better keep close together in their shoals forever after, because she might just change her mind about not hunting them.â

The carâs headlights flared past us.  Following Orangina, we left our protective veil of landscaping and ran across the few meters of pavement.  On the next block, beds of purple-flowering rosemary and twining orange nasturtium created a shadowy lane for us.  We trotted along in a loose group.  Orangina led the way; Bella, Gromit, and I walked together, with Toffy and Diego a length or so behind us, while Ham and Hudson brought up the rear.  

âMy mother always told me that Fela agreed to stop hunting the fish as a favor to them, because she admired how clever they were,â Bella said.  

We brushed under a drooping trellis of morning-glory, flowers tightly furled.

âMy mother told us that Fela promised to stop hunting the fish, but not to stop eating them,â Hudson said, licking his chops.

âI like that version,â Diego laughed.

âMe, too,â said Toffy.  We detoured behind a low stone fence to avoid an unsheltered patch of sidewalk. âCome to think of it, Ham, I wouldnât mind some nice salmon from your Dadâs deli right about now.â  Toffy hungrily whipped his orange plume of a tail.

My stomach was starting to feel a little empty, too.  It had been hours since dinner.  

âYeah, Ham, too bad you couldnât get your Dad to cater the Festival of Bast,â Gromit said.  The stone fence ended and we and darted across the gaping, brightly-lit mouth of a parking lot.   âIâm still dreaming about that cheese platter at the party after the thing with Doc.â

Bella rolled her eyes.  âCanât you cats keep your minds off food for ten minutes?â  She looked at me to back her up.  âJubilee, how did your mother tell the story about why we donât swim?â

I surreptitiously licked away a little drool that had appeared on my chin-whiskers when Toffy mentioned salmon.  âMy mother said that the fish practiced swimming together every day for weeks, until they got really good,â I recalled.  âWhat about you, Orangina?â

âThat Fela shouldnât have gotten overconfident.â  She stopped walking.  We had reached the end of another block.

There was another broad, busy street ahead of us.  Unlike the big streets we had already crossed, there were lots of humans on the sidewalk along both sides of this one.  We had to wait near the corner, bunched in the narrow strip of shadow behind a tall hedge, for the light to be the right color to stop the cars at a time when there were also no humans were on the sidewalk.  But finally there were no humans on the block when the flashing white hand appeared on the crosswalk sign, beckoning us across, and we crossed in the shiny white lines painted on the street, just like humans.  The drivers stopped at the intersection were talking into earpieces or eating from paper bags as they sat behind their steering wheels, and never noticed the procession of cats marching across the road just under their headlights.

On the other side, our route began to slant more steeply uphill.  We crossed the dark, quiet street a few times to avoid yards where we could hear or smell dogs, but for the most part it was smooth traveling.  The houses and yards got larger with each block we climbed.  The fences now were designed more for decoration than fortification.  Wrought-iron rails and light wooden latticework, both easy for a cat to slip through.  We passed under arbors heavily hung with sweet-scented wisteria vines and pergolas with dense ceilings of bougainvillea and climbing roses.

Although we had been walking for a few hours by now, and were all getting hungry and tired, weâd in fact covered less than two miles.  We were climbing Eastward into the Berkeley hills, headed for our rendezvous with the other cats in the green preserve ... wherever that was.

STAY TUNED!!!!  No turning back now!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>My plan is proceeding perfectly...</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/358585</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 30 Aug 2007 11:48:04 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/358585</guid>
		<description>Hi everycat, 

Chapter 9 will be up tomorrow, but today I thought I'd write a good old-fashioned d ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hi everycat, 

Chapter 9 will be up tomorrow, but today I thought I'd write a good old-fashioned diary entry on the progress I've made in Mom's training.

My late sister, Spike, had Mom pretty much trained to her liking.  Unfortunately, Mom caught on to some of it.  For example, Spike had a pre-morning routine that involved Mom getting out of bed three times.  First, a snack.  Then, outside (Spike went out instead of using a litter box, so she knew that Mom had incentive to get out of bed and go downstairs to open the door for her).  Then, usually right about the time Mom was dropping back off to sleep, inside again (Spike actually gnawed through a piece of weatherstripping around the outside of the door, so that she could flick the end of the strip of plastic against the door with her paw to make a distinctive slapping sound that Mom could hear from upstairs!  For real!!!!).  At the end of all this, Spike would reward Mom with a morning cuddle-session.  

In my case, Mom vowed not to be as easily suckered.  So I have to be extra-subtle and clever in my training techniques.  Fortunately, Mom herself taught me how.  She thinks she's being sneaky when she does stuff like raise my litter box a little each day, or makes me do one more trick in a sequence before she clicks the clicker and gives me my treat, but I've been paying attention to her methods and learning more than she thinks!

First of all, breakfast.  Mom only feeds me twice a day, but in a few months of training I've managed to move my breakfast-time a full hour and a half earlier (so far!) than Mom orginally intended!  We started with her intending to feed me around 8 a.m.  If I tried to wake her up earlier, I got told it wasn't breakfast time yet.  Absolutely unacceptable.  But Mom was determined not to let another cat disturb her slumber; she had to think that she was feeding me on her own schedule.

How did I train her to give me my breakfast at a more reasonable hour?  Simple!  I let her think she had "trained" me into being ready for breakfast at 8 a.m. by waking her up at that time each morning (remember, my mom works at home and doesn't have to get up early most mornings).  Once she was used to me waking her up at the time she thought she was in control of (heh heh), I simply started waking her up a minute or so earlier each day.  She barely even noticed that she was feeding me at 7:45, then 7:40.  Now when I nuzzle Mom's face at 6:30 a.m., it's breakfast time!

Ha ha!

Whenever possible, though, Mom still goes back to sleep for another hour or so after she feeds me, if I let her.  The next phase of her training will focus on eliminating this habit.  

After I have my breakfast, I like to play for a while before my morning nap.  This morning it took a lot of wet-nose-in-face and bread-making to get Mom to wake up and play an after-breakfast game of toss-the-mousie with me.  This part of the training has to proceed cautiously; Mom gets cranky if I wake her up too roughly (I can't imagine why) and sometimes even shows me the Bad-Girl Bottle!  (It's just a mister-bottle of water, but usually the mere sight of it is enough to send me scooting off the bed.)  Teaching Mom to be an actual morning person will be a tough mission, but I think she'll thank me for it long-term.  

The Journey to the Festival of Bast continues tomorrow, so stay tuned!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 8</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/358161</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 29 Aug 2007 13:00:36 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/358161</guid>
		<description>Heading East, we traveled quickly, threading along fence-rails and skirting behind hedges.  The hous ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Heading East, we traveled quickly, threading along fence-rails and skirting behind hedges.  The houses were tightly-packed, but all had at least a small yard with a flower bed, providing plenty of shadows and cover for eight cats.  

After two blocks, we came to a big, busy street.  Two lanes of cars heading South, a grassy traffic island, and two more lanes of cars going North.  Keeping in a tight pack, we waited for gaps in the traffic, crossed the two roads -- after that crawl under the parked cars, it was a breeze -- then hurried through an open parking lot, along the exposed side of a brick building, and across another busy street.  Then the houses started again, and now the yards were bigger, the houses farther back from the street.  The fences gave way to lush, elaborate landscaping, and we could travel more easily.  Now we relaxed, and began to enjoy the Journey.  We were still traveling nearly due East, and uphill.  We had seen only one shooting star, but the night wasnât half over yet; the Great Cat was just edging into view on the starry horizon. 

âHow about a story for our Journey?â Toffy proposed, as we walked through the sweet-smelling summer night.

As youâve probably noticed, the Journey to the Festival of Bast is as important to cats as the actual Festival.  The longer the Journey, the better, which is why cats like to start as soon as possible after the start of Kittenfall.  And no Journey is complete without storytelling along the way.  

âIâd love to hear a story!â Hudson immediately agreed.

âDiego, tell the story of why Fela stopped swimming,â Bella suggested.  

Fela, as every cat knows, was the very first cat to live with humans.  There are many cat-tales about her adventures, and Diego dramatically flared his whiskers as he began the one Bella had requested:

âIn the early days, when Fela first lived with humans, she was more like a wild cat than we are now.  For one thing, she could swim.  Fela was almost as good a hunter in the water as she was on land, in those days, and she used to hunt the silvery fish that dozed like fat mice in the warm, slow river that flowed near the human village.  She would watch from the grassy riverbank for a flash of silver in the water.  Then, when she spied a fish, she would dive into the river and swim after it, and she usually caught it, because she was a very good swimmer and could hold her breath for a long time.  She was so good at catching them that after a while the only fish left were the smallest, quickest ones.  These little fish knew that if they wanted to grow up and become big fish, and make more fish, something would have to be done about Fela.  So the little fishes joined together and devised a plan.  They grouped close together in the shape of one huge, fierce fish with long, sharp teeth, so that each tiny fish seemed to be only a single, glittering scale.  Then they waited, out of sight behind a clump of reeds, near a place where Fela liked to hunt.  One brave fish swam out to get Felaâs attention, darting quickly back to the group when Fela dove into the water.  When Fela opened her eyes underwater and looked around for the small fish, she saw the fish-shaped shoal swimming straight towards her.  Taken by surprise, and with her vision blurred under the water, Fela thought she saw a monstrous shark charging at her, its massive jaws open to swallow her whole!  She jumped straight out of the water in terror, sure she was about to be eaten, and scrambled up the steep, muddy riverâs edge to safety, expecting to feel the sharkâs awful teeth snapping at her tail every second until she reached the grassy bank.  Fela was lying on the riverbank, bedraggled, coughing up water, gasping for breath, but thanking Lady Bast for her life, when she heard the fish laughing and realized that she had been tricked.  Fela was so humiliated at having been fooled that she never hunted for fish again, and that is why fish still travel in schools.â

STAY TUNED!!!! More cat-tales and adventure ahead!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 7</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/357785</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 28 Aug 2007 16:36:54 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/357785</guid>
		<description>We crossed the street, moving swiftly through the bright lights, and darted into the darkness under  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ We crossed the street, moving swiftly through the bright lights, and darted into the darkness under the row of parked cars.  I tried not to think, tried just to keep moving through the choking stenches of tar and rubber and gasoline, and stay close to the tensely rigid tip of Toffyâs orange tail ahead of me, and keep low, and not imagine every second that I heard a key turning in the ignition of the car whose engine was just centimeters above my ears.  Human feet scuffled by less than a meter to our left; cars roared past even closer on the right.  I could hear the other catsâ stifled, nervous breathing, even louder than my own beating heart.  

âHalfway there now, cats,â Orangina called back encouragingly, after weâd been crawling for about a thousand miles (I was sure of it) under greasy machinery, passing close between heavy tires that at any second could come to life and crush us.

Behind me, I realized that Ham was, faintly but unmistakably, purring.  He was actually enjoying this, the big lug!  I felt as though two big cats -- one annoyed, one proud -- had both licked my ears at once, and in my confusion I bumped into Toffyâs rear end, knocking him into Diego, and Diego into Hudson, and Hudson into Gromit, and Gromit into Bella, and Bella, with a not-amused squeal, into Orangina.

The procession came to a halt, almost dead-center under the row of parked cars.  All the cats looked back at me as they unrumpled themselves.  

âAre you okay, Jubilee?â The sincere concern in Hamâs green eyes didnât help matters much.  

âIs everything all right back there?â Orangina asked.

âMy bad,â I squeaked foolishly.  âSorry, cats.â

âStay focused,â Orangina said, as if to every cat, and resumed our crawl under the cars.

âSee?â I heard Hudson tell Gromit, in a very big-brotherly way. âYou arenât the only dork.â

So embarrassed that my tightly-flattened whiskers actually felt cold against my burning whisker-pads, I kept following Toffyâs tail past the silent black tires.  We were almost at the end of the row when a droplet of water from a cooling motor fell onto Diegoâs back, and he startled upward, banging his head on a pipe.  The hollow metallic clang rang in our heads; it was sure to attract attention; we all flattened out, frozen in place, out hearts racing, but nothing happened.  

âI guess if there was more stuff in my head, it wouldnât have made so much noise,â Diego apologized, sounding as embarrassed as I had.

We started moving again, passing quickly underneath the last cars on the block.  At last, we emerged from beneath the last car and scurried a couple of meters to a bus-stop bench.  A streetlight cast a glowing cone onto the bench itself, but under the bench was dense shadow, where we clustered just long enough for Orangina to make sure we were all still together before she led us across the next side street.  

On the next block, I was relieved to see thick shrubbery surrounding a long, low building, and even more relieved when our group, breathing hard, fur still tense, was well-hidden behind the bushes and Orangina said, âLetâs catch our breaths here.â

âThank the Great Cat,â Toffy wheezed, flopping heavily onto his fluffy orange haunches.

âOkay,â Bella panted, crouching next to me, âthat was stressful.  Letâs go home a different way.â

âGood idea.â  Diego cautiously licked at the damp patch on his sleek black back.

âIt wasnât so bad,â Hudson bragged.  

Ham cuffed Hudson in agreement, and the two of them celebrated with a brief bout of male-bonding wrestling.  Bella and I rolled our eyes at each other as we got out of the way of their flailing grey and black paws.

âWeâve still got a long way to go,â Gromit piped up.  But his voice sounded a little more confident than it had a block ago.  

Breaths caught, hidden from view behind the shrubbery, we slipped easily along the length of the building.  Then a brief zigzag across a floodlit parking lot, darting under the cars for shadow, a browned yard strewn with broken toys, and another quiet side street.  We traveled the next several blocks by walking along the fence-tops separating the houses.  The houses on this part of the Journey were small, built close together, and close to the street.  Almost all were surrounded  by fences taller than a tall man.  So far, we had been traveling almost due South.  Now we turned East, and our path sloped slightly but perceptibly uphill.  

STAY TUNED!!!! Things are just starting to get exciting!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 6</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/357268</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 27 Aug 2007 14:14:27 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/357268</guid>
		<description>Certainly for a cat, or especially a group of cats, to travel directly along a human roadway would b ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Certainly for a cat, or especially a group of cats, to travel directly along a human roadway would be most dangerous, most unnatural, and most undesirable.  We travelled the next two blocks as we had the first one -- along the tops of fences.  Where we couldnât find a fence, we crept along behind bushes and garbage cans, and kept away from lights, which is not as easy as it sounds, because many humans, for some reason, want to light up their bushes and their garbage.  

âAt least itâs not humansâ Christmas-time,â Diego joked as we navigated one yard whose trees were laced with strings of blinking white lights.

âHow can you tell?â Ham shot back.

âNot as many liquor bottles in the recycling,â Gromit reasoned.

At the end of each block, Orangina would quickly count heads, and once we were all accounted for, weâd cross the street to the next block.  Although cars roared by in a blinding stream on the busy road just a few yards to our right, the side streets we crossed were quiet.

The third block was different.  We peered over the low, white-painted stone fence that marked the end of the last yard on the second block and across the side-street.  On the other side of street, just beyond a narrow border of sidewalk, there was a chain link fence , much too high to climb, and the fence entirely enclosed a flat expanse of shorn grass that filled almost the whole block.  Worst of all, the whole field was illuminated by lights on high metal poles.  Grass, fence, and sidewalk were all bright and shadowless as noon.  

âWhat stupid human would grow all that grass, but cut it too short for hunting in and put a fence around it?â  Bella sounded personally affronted by the very idea.

âLook, there are white lines in the grass,â I noticed.  âMaybe humans play games here, like on television.â

âIt wasnât like this last year,â Orangina muttered. 

âWe could go around the other way,â Toffy suggested, âat the other end of the block. See?  The fence ends a few meters from the sidewalk at the other end, and there are fewer lights.â

Orangina shook ker head.  âNo, that will take us too close to Tracerâs group.  Kimba believes itâs wisest for the groups to stay at least a block apart, and I agree with him.  Weâll have to take this route.â  She thought for a moment, considering the options from left to right:  The fence.  Too high to climb, plus the lights would put eight cats in dangerously vulnerable view.  Then a yard or so of grass outside the fence, and then the sidewalk; again, both brightly-lit.  There were a few humans on the sidewalk, including a small but loud group of young males, the type of human we most wanted to avoid.  On the right of the sidewalk, in the narrow strip of grass between the sidewalk and the curb, it was darker, and a spindly but tall tree grew every few yards.  Between sidewalk and road, cars were parked closely together along the length of the block.  Then the road itself, a nightmare river of light and noise.  Orangina turned to the group.  âWeâll have to go under the parked cars. Single-file, same order as before. Move fast, keep low, and keep your ears open.  Pay attention to where the trees are and be ready to get up one.â   We all looked at each other, wide eyed, our whiskers quivering.  

Gromit nervously pawed at his brother.  âHudson, what if I ...â

âDonât worry.  Iâll be right behind you.â  Hudon licked his smaller brotherâs ear.  

âGet ready...â  Orangina hopped onto the low stone fence and tensed, waiting for the car approaching from the right to cross the intersection and pass us.  When its tail-lights were a safe half-block away, with no other cars on the side street, Orangina made her move and we all followed her: Bella, Gromit, Hudson, Diego, Toffy, me (Jubilee!), and Ham. 

STAY TUNED!!!!  My typist isnât feeling well at the moment, but look at it this way: 
		                  Shorter Chapters = Big Suspense!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>dang!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/356773</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:51:05 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/356773</guid>
		<description>Hey everycat, 

I'm sorry for the holdup with Chapters 6 and 7 (which should have been posted yest ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hey everycat, 

I'm sorry for the holdup with Chapters 6 and 7 (which should have been posted yesterday and today, respectively), but it's not my fault, really!

I don't know why, but every month at about this time, my typist says that she has a visitor ... even though there's no one new in the house ... and for a couple of days she has to take some pills that make her sleepy.  Guess what time of month it is?

Chapter 6 will be up tomorrow with some luck, definitely by Tuesday.  Thanks for your patience, and stay tuned!

Nose kisses, 
Jubilee

ps -- Dad says that the above information may be something called "tee-em-eye."  What does that mean, I wonder? ...]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 5</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/355969</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:10:12 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/355969</guid>
		<description>&acirc;We&acirc;ll be traveling through densely-crowded human areas for the first couple of miles,&acirc; Orangi ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ âWeâll be traveling through densely-crowded human areas for the first couple of miles,â Orangina went on, âbut if we move quickly and keep out of sight weâll make it to the green preserve and rejoin the other groups from Kimbaâs pride by midday tomorrow.  After that, weâll be away from human areas for the rest of the Journey to Sleeping Cat Mountain.â
 
Hudson nudged Gromit. âWhereâs Sleeping Cat Mountain?â he whispered.  

âHow should I know?â Gromit whispered back.  I was relieved to know that I wasnât the only cat who had no idea where we were going.  

âThis group will leave first.  The others will follow a few moments apart, and travel by different routes.  Weâll all be in cat-call range, in case of emergency.â  Orangina emphasized the word âemergencyâ and raised one eyebrow at me.  The other cats smirked.

âIt was Kittenfall, and I hadnât been invited to a single Festival of Bast party!â I pointed out.  âIf thatâs not an emergency, then what is?â

All the cats laughed.  Orangina rolled her golden eyes, but smiled at me, as she continued.  âAll right, cats.  Weâve got a long Journey ahead of us and only seven nights before the Festival of Bast.â  Every cat in my group looked as excited as I was to be starting the Journey to the Festival of Bast with Orangina.  And as I glanced around our little cluster of traveling companions, I felt lucky to be traveling with each of them.  Orangina, I knew, was an experienced, brave, and resourceful leader.  Ham was steady, kind, and strong, and Bella was tough, clever, and full of spirit.  I liked what I knew of Diego, Toffy, Hudson, and Gromit, too.  Diego, affable and outgoing, had an easy charm and always seemed to know the right thing to say.  Toffy was gentle and soft-spoken, with a warm laugh, but there was a glint in his sea-green eyes that told me heâd be a good cat to have around in a scary spot.  Gromit and Hudson were already good friends with Bella.  Although Hudson was bold and boisterous, while Gromit was more reserved, both brothers shared Bellaâs wisecracking sense of humor.  But there would be ample time for us all to get better acquainted, and more cats to meet along the way.  âEvery cat, are you ready to begin the Journey?â Orangina asked us.  Seven pairs of cat eyes eagerly met Oranginaâs.  My whiskers tingled.  We were ready.  

On our way out of the basement, Orangina wove among the other groups of waiting cats, exchanging hurried mutters with each group leader, which I could hear only bits of.  â...  Elder Brother Kimba, we will wait for you in the green preserve ... if anything should happen, Tracer ... theyâre cats, not cattle, Blofeld, donât drive them too hard ... Pumpkin, if I hear youâve gotten into a single fight with one of your cats ...â   Then, with a leap, she was halfway up the pile of furniture below the broken window.  âMay Lady Bast reunite us soon!â she called to the rest of the pride, and to our group, âThe Journey begins!  This way!â

We followed Oranginaâs flashing orange tail up the makeshift ladder and out the basement window.   She led us through the weed-choked back yard of the burned house, under the gap in the chain-link fence, and into the shadows behind the building next door to the burned house.  On the other side of this building was the vacant lot, then my own building, then one more before the block ended.  I looked up at the stars.  Itâs hard to see stars in the city, but I could make out the Great Lion, crouched low in the Western sky.  The Great Cat, the constellation of Bast that cats see where humans see Perseus, had not yet appeared.  

âSingle file, cats,â Orangina instructed us.  âHam, take up the rear.â  

Orangina sprang to the top of the wooden fence that separated the cement patio behind the apartment building from the back yard of the house in the abutting lot.  Bella was right behind her.  Hudson nudged Gromit to follow Bella, then jumped onto the fence himself.  Diego scrambled to the top of the fence and gave a paw up to Toffy.  I jumped up next, then Ham.   Threading our way along the tops of the fences, we traversed adjoining fence-segments to cross the back patio, the vacant lot, and behind my building.  

We came to the last part of the fence, a newer and higher section that would take us between two close-set houses with narrow yards.  If I craned my neck to look past the cats ahead of me, I could see where the fence ended, and beyond it the first road that we could have to cross, illuminated by a pool of street lamp glow.  It was a quiet side-street; not a car had passed on it as we cut across the block on the fences.  Orangina started across the last fence, with Bella following her closely.  Gromit stepped up onto the new fence section and hesitated, sniffing the air.  Hudson gave him a shove, and Gromit started walking cautiously forward.  Heâd taken only a few paces when a dog lunged from the darkness and threw itself at the fence!  I felt my fur stand on end.  Orangina and Bella, already dangerously far out on the fence, froze in place.  Gromit lost his footing and clung desperately to the top fence-rail with his front paws, as the dog jumped at him, barking wildly.  Its jaws snapped shut a full cat-length below Gromitâs tail.  

âGromit!â  Hudson rushed onto the fence to help his brother, who by this time had realized that the dog couldnât reach him, but still couldnât get a foot-hold with his hind paws to climb back onto the fence rail.

Orangina, Hudson, and Diego hauled Gromit back onto the fence.  Gromit shook himself off, looking embarrassed, and nodded to Orangina that he was ready to continue.  With Orangina in the lead, followed by Bella, Gromit, Hudson, Diego, Toffy, me, and Ham, we all started walking again, stiffly ignoring the shrill barking and the frantic thuds of the cocker spaniel hurling itself against the fence boards in frustration.  At the end of the fence, we jumped down to the sidewalk, and crossed the quiet street as a pack.  

On the other side of the street, in the shadows of a boxwood hedge, we paused for breath.

âWell,â Toffy murmured, âthatâs one block down.â

STAY TUNED!!!!  Hi ho, hi ho, to the Festival of Bast we go!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>never a dull moment!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/355556</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 23 Aug 2007 17:00:38 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/355556</guid>
		<description>Hey, everycat, Chapter 5 will be up tomorrow (keep your paws crossed)!   

Meanwhile, my newest cl ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hey, everycat, Chapter 5 will be up tomorrow (keep your paws crossed)!   

Meanwhile, my newest clicker-trick is standing on my hind legs.  All mom had to do was hold a bite of turkey above my head and say "Stand," and click when I stood up to reach for the turkey.  After a couple of clicks she stopped using the turkey to get me to stand up, and voila!   It is amazing to me how much it delights my mom when I do something as simple as stand on my hind legs or touch her hand with my paw.  It's kind of touching, really, how easy she is to please.  Of course, let's not forget that I'm in it for the turkey!

On the potty-training front, there's now only a tablespoon of litter or so left in my litter-bowl.  Mom is going to switch to adding water to the bowl tomorrow.  What will happen when my paws touch the water for the first time is anyone's guess -- Mom can hardly stand the suspense!

With my help, Mom has mapped out the route of the Journey that I (along with the other cats) took to the Festival of Bast.  She rode the first couple of miles on her bike today, and she is very impressed!  

Join the Journey when it resumes tomorrow, with Chapter 5!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 4</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/355006</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 22 Aug 2007 11:43:29 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/355006</guid>
		<description>It seemed like ages since I had quickly nibbled at a few bites of breakfast before I hurried downsta ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ It seemed like ages since I had quickly nibbled at a few bites of breakfast before I hurried downstairs to sneak out when Dad opened the door to leave for work.  And it sounded like it might be a long Journey.  I devoured as much as I could before Bella nudged me.

âWe should head back downstairs and get a quick groom in before we leave,â she said.  I snatched a last mouthful, and so did Ham, when Bella turned around.

Back in the basement, all the kittens too young to climb the stairs unassisted, including Cricketâs, were having tantrums because they had just learned that they would not be going on the Journey.  âYou arenât big enough yet,â Cricket tried to explain.  âWeâll have our own Festival of Bast right here, with the other moms and kittens.â

âBut it wonât be the SAME!â Molly howled, flinging herself onto her back.  Pepper and Megan sobbed agreement.

Kimba placed a stern but gentle paw on Mollyâs chest.  âLittle granddaughter, you have many Journeys ahead.  Walk each path as it approaches you.â  Molly stopped crying, probably out of confusion, and Kimba licked her ear.  Pepper and Megan crowded in for their share as well, and received whiskery grandfatherly nuzzles.  âNow, mind your mother, the way Mau told Ebe.â

Bella and I exchanged looks.  

Jewel, who wasnât going either, had already settled back into her nest of towels.  Bella rubbed her nose against Jewelâs cheek.  âIâll miss you on the Journey, litter-sister.â

âIâll miss you too.â  Jewel twisted around awkwardly to groom as much of her back as she could. âAnd I know it would be really dramatic and make a great story for me to have my kittens on an outcropping of volcanic basalt at the climax of Kittenfall, but no thanks, Iâm staying here.â  

There was a sudden buzzing among the cats, and heads turned towards the basement window.  An orange tabby appeared, and was on the floor in two swift leaps.  Orangina, the brave cat who had led the raid on ViviSelection Biological Supply and freed all the trapped cats, including Kimba and Bella!  The two hefty tabbies who followed her took considerable more time in making the descent.  âHurry it up, Max!  Move your tail, Pumpkin, before Kittenfall ends!â   That rumbling boom of a voice could only belong to one cat.  Sure enough, Blofeld came through the window next, his fluffy white Persian fur puffed out in impatience.  Tracer, Oranginaâs most trusted lieutenant, came last, swift and dark as a shadow.  All the cats who had taken part in the rescue, including Ham, Jewel, and I, were now here.

Oranginaâs group exchanged formal greetings with Kimba.  Then Kimba climbed to the third basement step, to be better seen by every cat in the basement, and motioned for Orangina to join him.  Pumpkin, Max, Blofeld, and Tracer stood on the step below Kimba and Orangina.  All cats turned their attention to Kimba.  âIt is Kittenfall, and we begin our Journey tonight.  To travel more safely through the densest human areas, we will begin our Journey in groups of no more than nine cats.  I will lead one group.  Orangina, Pumpkin and Max together, Blofeld, and Tracer will lead the others.â 

âIf Iâd made the Journey with Kimba last year, Iâd be a group leader this Journey,â Ham whispered to me, âbut I donât mind not leading if I can travel with you, Jubilee.â

I blushed, and ignored Bella, who was making kissy-faces behind Hamâs back.

Kimba was still speaking.  âAny cats we meet along the way are welcome to join our Journey if they wish.  The groups will meet again in the green preserve, and continue the Journey together.â  Then Kimba began to sing, and I joined in, along with all the other cats:

	âBastâs kittens are falling
	The Journey is calling
	Every cat to the Festival of Bast
	Although the Journey may be our last.

	âLady Bast fell in love with the Lion of the sky
	And she journeyed for love
	She climbed long and high
	She climbed tree and mountain, then above
	On sunbeam and moonbeam to reach her love.

	âEach Kittenfall
	The Journey calls
	Every cat to the Festival of Bast
	Over all obstacles in our path.

	âAt last Lady Bast reached the Lion, Sky King
	In his den above Earth
	They shared what love brings
	High in the sky, Lady Bast gave birth
	And that is why there are cats on Earth.

	âWhen Bastâs kittens fall
	The Journey calls
	Every cat to the Festival of Bast
	Join the Journey, every cat!â
	
Obviously, cats donât communicate in English.  Iâm doing my best to translate for human readers, but the song sounds much better in Cat.

As we sang, the cats making the Journey began to swirl and knot into five separate clusters.  I seemed to be the only cat who had no idea what was going on, so I stuck close to Ham and Bella.  When the song ended, and the swirling and shuffling stopped, I was in a group with Ham, Bella, and four toms I didnât know well, but remembered from the party after the escape from Docâs lab.  They were Diego, who had sleek black and white fur and long, striking white whiskers; Toffy, a green-eyed, long-haired orange cat; and two brothers, Gromit and Hudson.  Gromit was the smallest of the four toms; a smart, shy orange tabby.  Hudson, Gromitâs more adventurous brother, was a slightly chubby black cat with a wispy patch of white on his belly.  

âWell-met by sunset, Little Sister,â Diego greeted me.  âWeâve heard all about your last adventure.  Weâre pleased to be Journeying with you.â  

Before I could reply, Orangina leaped from the stairs and joined my group.  I would be making the Journey with Orangina!  She greeted each cat in the group, then said, âFollow me, and stay close together.  The first leg of the journey will be the most dangerous.â

STAY TUNED!!!!  The Journey is starting!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 3</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/354662</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 21 Aug 2007 17:11:14 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/354662</guid>
		<description>*** I easily got out of my house and joined my friends Ham and Bella in the blackberry bush hideout. ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** I easily got out of my house and joined my friends Ham and Bella in the blackberry bush hideout.  The three of us then headed to the basement of the burned house, where Kimba, the wise old Siamese, gave me official permission to join his group for the Journey to the Festival of Bast.  If youâve read my first story, you already know Ham, Bella, Kimba, Kimbaâs daughter Cricket, Bellaâs sister Jewel, and some other friends whoâll be joining us for the Journey.  It will be a long trip to the Festival of Bast, and along the way weâll meet and get to know lots of new cats -- all the Catster cats who have joined the adventure!  ***

We napped until late afternoon, all the cats in the basement, an occasional cat getting up to go outside and use the yard or get a drink of water, here and there a quiet conversation or grooming, and frequent brief nap-punctuations of waking, stretching, repositioning, and going back to sleep.   If I hadnât been up all night, I would have had a hard time sleeping that day, I was so excited about starting the Journey to the Festival of Bast.  Every time I woke up, I tried to guess how much longer it would be until sunset by the angle of the sunlight that sifted into the basement through gaps in the floorboards overhead.  Once I woke to discover Hamâs paw draped over my shoulders, and I cuddled closer to him, and drifted off again to his deep, regular breathing.  Bella twitched and muttered in her sleep, maybe dreaming of whatever it was that Doc did to her while he had her in his lab.  Jewel, who was rounder than I remembered, snored almost as loud as my Dad. 

Every cat, every year, celebrates the Festival of Bast, at the time of the summer when Bastâs kittens fall from the sky.  (If you are a human reading this, thatâs in August, during the Perseid meter shower.  Cats call it, well, Bastâs kittens falling from the sky, or Kittenfall for short.)  Like a human alone on New Yearâs Eve, a solitary cat in a city apartment might have to make do with simply looking out a window at the shooting stars and singing a silent, private song to Bast.  Cats in shelters, who cannot see the sky, close their eyes and imagine the sky they will see from the homes that they pray to Lady Bast to find.  But this year, I would be traveling with my friends to the biggest Festival of Bast celebration for miles around!

The thin shafts of sunlight were deep gold and slanting sharply when I woke to the sound of human footsteps in the ruined house.  All the basement cats were waking, too, but with their ears perked happily forward and their whiskers twitching in a welcoming way.  As the steps continued, cats began to stream up the basement stairs.  

Bella stretched, and nosed at Jewel, who was still sleeping.  âCome on, Jewel, wake up!  Dinner!â  I exchanged confused glances with Ham.  Unlike the basement cats, we both had human homes, and didnât usually sleep here.  I had assumed that these cats survived by hunting.  But Bella was eager to get upstairs.  She nudged and nipped at her litter-sister until Jewel grumpily turned over and opened her eyes.   

By the time Bella had wakened Jewel, a whiff of the smell of food had drifted into the basement, and most of the cats had already gone upstairs towards it.  When Jewel stood up, I realized why she was rounder than I recalled.  

âYou know how it is,â she shrugged when she saw me looking at her belly.  âI had a lot of catnip at that party after we escaped from Docâs lab ...â   

âDonât look at me, Iâm fixed!â  Ham exclaimed, winking at me.  We all laughed, but for some reason I was still glad that Ham had been dancing and eating minnow-cream cheese rolls with me that night.

Bella led the way, and Jewel, Ham, and I followed her upstairs.  We trotted up the short hallway, to what had been, I guess, the living room of the house.  The last time I was here, there was a dirty mattress on the floor, fast-food wrappers, other signs that homeless humans had been here as well as cats.  Now those things were gone.  I smelled fresh sawdust and noticed that there were fewer walls than before -- the half-burned walls, covered with charred, mildewed wallpaper, had been removed somehow.  A woman with long, frizzy white hair, wearing a tie-dyed t-shirt, baggy pants, and Birkenstocks, was pouring dry cat food onto the floor in heaps from a big bag.  From past experience, I knew that this type of human generally means well.  The basement cats were purringly happily as they ate.  

Bella rushed into a group of feeding cats and muscled them aside.  Seeing that another cat had joined in at that spot, the woman poured down more food.  Ham and I pushed our way in next to Bella, but we hesitated and sniffed at the unfamilar food.

âDonât worry, housecats,â Bella said, with her mouth full.  âItâs safe.  Iâm not letting any human take me again.  Docâs goons never even bothered to put out bait.  But never eat first, just to be sure.â

Kimba, closely attended by Cricket, was among the last of the cats upstairs, but when he appeared, the other cats reverently stepped aside for him, and let him choose where he wanted to eat.  He joined Bella, Ham, and me.  Cricket joined Jewel and the few other nursing and pregnant queens at a special pile of food reserved for them.

âYouâll need you strength for the Journey, Ham and Jubilee,â Kimba smiled at us in his mysterious way.  When we saw Kimba eating, Ham and I knew for certain that the food must be safe, and joined the other cats in enjoying our dinner.  âThis house itself will not be a refuge for us much longer,â Kimba said, after eating steadily for a few moments..  âMen have begun to work here during the day, making it ready for humans again.  Soon we will not be able to stay here.  Perhaps Lady Bast will grant us a new home, somewhere along our Journey.â  He stopped eating and sighed, so wearily that I wondered how long the Journey would be.


STAY TUNED!!!!  Many adventures lie ahead!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 2</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/353965</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 20 Aug 2007 08:53:47 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/353965</guid>
		<description>Getting out was easy.  

It was so early when Dad left for work that the sky was still dark, after ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Getting out was easy.  

It was so early when Dad left for work that the sky was still dark, after moonset but before sunrise.  When he opened the door, with his backpack over his shoulder and a plastic bag of recycling in each hand, I just slipped past his feet.  I disappeared behind the building before he realized I had gotten out.  I peeked around the corner and watched him lock the door and walk off the other way, towards the front of the building, where the recycling bins are.  Iâd only had time to gulp down a few bites of the breakfast Dad put in my bowl before he left, but I was outside, and Dad wouldnât even notice I was gone until he came back to feed me that night.  

Ham and Bella were waiting for me in the clearing inside the blackberry bush.  Bella and I rubbed noses, and Ham groomed my ears, all three of us purring.  

âItâs got to be a sign from Bast that my mom went away at the start of Kittenfall,â I said, after Bella had asked, and I had explained, how I got out of my house, and Bella and Ham had both expressed admiration at my stealth.  âI can hardly wait for the Festival!â

âMe too,â Ham agreed.  âI went with Kimbaâs group two Festivals ago, but I couldnât make the Journey last year because my Dad went on vacation and decided to have me boarded.â  Bella and I flattened our ears in horror.  Imagine spending the whole Festival of Bast in a kennel!  âIt wasnât too bad,â Ham assured us.  âWe all sang songs together from our cages, and told stories.  It was weird not being able to see the cats you were talking to, though, and it wasnât the same, not being able to watch Kittenfall.  And I missed the games and contests and the hunting.  But this year, Iâm Journeying with Kimbaâs group again.â  His whiskers practically vibrated with eagerness.  âItâs the biggest Festival of Bast gathering Iâve ever seen, Jubilee!â  

âThis will only be my second Festival,â Bella admitted, âbut I canât imagine that there could possibly be a better one than ours.  Iâm glad youâre Journeying with us!â  

I was so happy that I play-pounced on Bella, and we rolled around together on the dry blackberry leaves, giggling, nearly knocking over Ham, until we were out of breath.  We lay in a heap on the ground, panting.  

âIf you ladies are finished ...â  Ham, veteran of more Festivals of Bast than Bella and I combined, pretended he was way too mature for such antics.  Naturally, we tackled him, and pinned him down, until he laughed, âOkay, okay!  Iâm sorry I called you ladies!â  

After Bella and I dealt with that remark, all three of us groomed ourselves, and then we left the clearing and threaded our way, single-file, through the blackberry bramble to the fence on the far side of the vacant lot.  I followed Ham and Bella.  We jumped the fence, crossed the patio behind the apartment building on the other side of the vacant lot, and squeezed through the gap in the next fence, into the overgrown backyard of the abandoned, fire-damaged house.  We crossed the weed-choked yard, which was heavy with the smell of cats and untended roses, slipped through the broken basement window, and had our paws on the floor in a few easy leaps down the pile of furniture and boxes.  

Most of the cats had just had their first breakfast and were getting comfortable for long grooming sessions and early-morning naps.  In a corner of the room, Kimba, Cricket, and Cricketâs three kittens were all curled up together in an especially large and soft-looking nest.  Ham, Bella, and I went over to greet them.

âWell-met by sunrise, Elder Brother,â I said to Kimba.  âWell-met by sunrise, Big Sister,â I said to Cricket.

âJubilee!â  The elderly Siamese cat smiled a warm welcome at me, with a black kitten hanging from his ear and a kitten with pale-colored tortoiseshell markings clinging around his neck.  The smallest kitten, who had fluffy grey fur, peeked shyly at me from between Cricketâs front paws.  âI heard your cat-call last night.  You are welcome on our Journey, Little Sister!â

âThank you, Kimba.  Iâm honored to Journey with you.â  Then, to Cricket, I said,  âI hope my cat-call didnât wake your kittens last night.â

âThey were awake already,â the young calico mother replied, a little wearily.  

âWe werenât sleepy!â The black kitten explained, swiping at the tortieâs tail.

âLast time I saw them, their eyes were hardly open,â I said.  âNow they are almost ready to hunt!â

âArenât they getting big?â Cricket beamed proudly down at them.  âThis is Megan,â she nuzzled the shy grey kitten with her nose, âthe black one is Molly, and,â Cricket raised her voice slightly, âthe one who needs to stop biting Mollyâs foot is Pepper.â

âTell us a story, Grandfather!â Molly begged, pouncing onto Kimbaâs belly.  

Kimba cuffed her playfully, chuckling.  âOne story, then naptime.â

Megan and Pepper curled up against Kimba.  âTell why we purr,â Megan chirped.

âNo, itâs my turn to pick,â Pepper nipped Meganâs ear.  âTell about how humans used to worship Lady Bast.â  

âNo, I want to hear about Fela and the fishies!â  Molly dropped onto Pepperâs back, snarling like a tiny panther.  

There was a brief scuffle, and Cricket had to intervene.  Megan scrambled over Kimba to escape the melee.  Holding a squirming Pepper down with one paw, Cricket plucked Molly up by the scruff and set her down out of Pepperâs reach.  âMolly, you picked last time.  Megan, you get to pick next time.  Pepper, donât make that face at your sister.â  

The kittens grumbled, but settled down, and listened wide-eyed as Kimba began the story.  No cat can resist a good story.  All the nearby cats listened to Kimba, and Ham, Bella, and I curled up to listen, too.

âAs you kittens know, most cats can understand at least one language of human speech, although all cats consider it to their advantage to act as though they canât.  But in the time that cats and humans have lived together, only a few humans have ever had the gift of hearing and understanding cat thoughts.  Even fewer happened to have this rare gift and also been acquainted with a cat who felt like talking to them.  Not all of these humans met happy fates; some were burned as witches, some had complete nervous breakdowns, that sort of thing.  I could count on my claws, and still have claws left over, the number of lucky humans in the past ten thousand years who owed their great success in art, or astronomy, or dance, or politics, or writing, or chemistry, or anything else that a cat might have an opinion on, to following a catâs advice.  

âLong ago, an Egyptian cat named Mau was the companion of one of these special humans.  He purred a little girl named Ebe to sleep each night with secret cat stories of Lady Bast.  When Ebe grew up, she told the stories of Bast to other humans, and became the first human priestess of Bast in Egypt.  Her followers so revered her wisdom of the secrets of cats that they depicted her as a woman with a catâs head, while Bast they depicted as Mau had described Her to Ebe -- a large and strikingly beautiful cat.  Thousands of years later, the stories, told by a cat to a child, have been forgotten by humans, or so changed that they bear as little resemblance to the true tales as a circle drawn in the dirt resembles the sun.  Humans now remember Bast only as an ancient Egyptian deity, and mistakenly assume that the statues of cat-headed women are meant to represent Bast Herself.  But still, they remember Her, and honor Her, because a little girl long ago listened to a cat.â

All three kittens were yawning, and Bella, Ham, and I wished Kimba and Cricket pleasant naps as Cricket began to groom the kittens to sleep.  We found Bella's sister, Jewel, curled up on a pile of towels and settled down with her to rest ourselves.

âYou know,â I whispered to Bella as we closed our eyes, âwhen I was a kitten and my mother told me that story, she always included a part about how Mau also told Ebe to mind her mother, the way good kittens do.â

âOurs too,â Bella whispered back.

STAY TUNED!!!!  The Journey begins at nightfall!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>stay tuned!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/353759</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 19 Aug 2007 18:39:03 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/353759</guid>
		<description>Hi everycat!  

I'm hard at work on Chapter 2 right now, and I'll post it tomorrow (keep your paws ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hi everycat!  

I'm hard at work on Chapter 2 right now, and I'll post it tomorrow (keep your paws crossed)!  I'll try my very best to post a chapter a day, even if the chapter is a short one.  

Thank you to all the cats who have already joined the adventure!!!!  It wouldn't be nearly as much fun without you!  

By the way, my potty-training is going well (pun intended, I'm afraid).  Mom put the metal bowl with litter in it into the toilet bowl and I figured it out no problem.  I even got my foot position on the toilet seat right on almost the first try!  Well, okay, sometimes I put one hind foot into the bowl for leverage, but Mom is sure that problem will eliminate (heh heh) itself when we transition from litter to water in the metal bowl.  Human guests to my home have reacted with skepticism and amusement when confronted with my litter bowl sitting inside the commode and a note on the wall explaining why it's there and reminding them to please remove it before using the toilet and replace it afterwards.  We're down to just a thin layer of litter crystals in the bottom of the bowl; I miss digging and kicking in my litter, but then again, the litter all over the floor was the main reason Mom decided to embark on this mad experiment.  Mom projects that we'll start replacing the litter with water in three or four days.  I think I could figure things out if she took the bowl away right now, but I'll humor her and go at her pace.

Don't forget to tune in tomorrow for Chapter 2 of "The Festival of Bast"!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>The Festival Of Bast, Chapter 1</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/353294</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 18 Aug 2007 17:32:57 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/353294</guid>
		<description>I couldn&acirc;t sleep.  I tried Mom&acirc;s office chair, the top deck of my treehouse, the cushioned bench ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I couldnât sleep.  I tried Momâs office chair, the top deck of my treehouse, the cushioned bench at the foot of the bed, the back of the couch, on top of my kitty gym, the highest shelf in the bedroom closet, next to Dad on the bed, even my actual cat bed, but none of my usual favorite sleep-places felt right.  I groomed myself long and carefully, taking extra time on my toes, and still I couldnât relax.   I batted a couple of toys around, but there was no one to repeatedly retrieve them from under the nightstand or from behind the office door, so it wasnât much fun.  I tried waking Dad up to play, but he just snored and turned over when I nosed at his cheek.  I sighed.  I missed my mom.  Sheâs easier to wake up than Dad, and I knew she would have at least petted and cuddled me and talked softly to me for a few minutes before going back to sleep, if sheâd been there.  

Finally I jumped off the bed and slipped out the slightly-open sliding glass door onto the upstairs balcony.  I curled up on the low-slung seat one of the blue canvas deck chairs and wondered when Mom would be home.  Behind me, in the bedroom, Dad was snoring with a sound like an asthmatic tiger trying to purr.  I gazed up at the summer night sky, and as I was gazing, a white pinpoint of light streaked behind the top branches of the big live-oak tree.  A shooting star!  Kittenfall!  No wonder I was restless.  I stared at the sky for a long time, but no other stars fell.  

Now I really couldnât sleep.  

Kittenfall meant it was almost time for the Festival of Bast!  And my mom was away!  My front paws were shaking as I groomed them, trying to calm down and collect my thoughts.  Only one shooting star.  It was still early in Kittenfall, but the preparations would be starting very soon.  Or may have even started already.  Lacking a better idea, I sent out a cat-call.  As you know, cats communicate by transmitting our thoughts directly to one another.  Vocalizations are considered far less efficient and elegant, almost crude, and are mostly reserved for interacting with very young kittens and with humans.  We generally consider it polite to communicate only with those cats in visual or scent range, the way humans converse face-to-face rather than shouting to someone in a different room.  A cat can modulate the volume of the communication, from a whisper heard only by cat beside her, to a loud shout.  A cat-call is like taking a bullhorn and shouting at the top of your lungs to every cat within blocks.  

âITâS KITTENFALL!â  I called.  âWHEREâS THE PARTY?â

Nothing happened.  I waited.  I could still hear Dad snoring in the bedroom.  I wondered if I should cat-call again and risk waking up cats who would then not invite me to their Festival of Bast parties because I had woken them up.  My tail flicked impatiently.  âNocturnal, shmocturnal,â I grumbled to myself.  

Then I heard a soft scuffling of leaves, and when I looked towards the sound I saw two greyish cat-shapes just emerging from the tangle of blackberry vines in the vacant lot next door.  The wind was carrying their scent away from me.  The two cats stepped out of the shadows and into a patch of moonlight.  One was a large, broad-shouldered grey tom; the other was a slender female with silver tabby stripes on her head and back, and white belly, legs, and face.  Ham and Bella!

âHey, housecat, I guess you finally noticed that Kittenfall has started?â Bella giggled.  âHam almost had a mouse cornered, until you startled him.â

Hamâs friendly green eyes glittered in the moonlight as he smiled up at me.  âI was only playing with it anyway,â he said, and Bella rolled her eyes in a âyeah, rightâ kind of way.  

âSo, youâre coming with us to the Festival party?â  Bella cut right to the point as always.  

âWhen does the Journey start?â I asked.  

âTomorrow night,â Ham said.  

âItâs a long way away,â Bella chimed in.  âBut itâs the biggest Festival of Bast celebration youâve ever seen!  You have to come!â

That had been easier than I had hoped.  âOf course Iâll come,â I said immediately.  âI know just how to get out.  Iâll meet you in the blackberry bush before sunrise.â


STAY TUNED!!!!  What do you mean, youâve never heard of Kittenfall or the Festival of Bast?]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Mom Is Home!!!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/351543</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 14 Aug 2007 15:22:31 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/351543</guid>
		<description>Hi everycat!  

My mom was on vacation for the past two weeks, and we missed each other so much!!! ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hi everycat!  

My mom was on vacation for the past two weeks, and we missed each other so much!!!  She went to Bald Head Island, NC, to visit her family and celebrate her human grandmother's 80th birthday (I have no idea how many that is in cat years).  She swam in the ocean and saw lots of wildlife including foxes, deer, and alligators (really!) and had lots of fun with her family, especially her 5-year-old nephew, 2-year-old niece, and 2-month old nephew (she says that they are almost as cute and smart and fun to play with as me, but I don't believe it), but she assures me that she missed me the whole time.  

Dad took very good care of me, and it was nice having some time to bond more closely with him, but he is not my Mom.  I was so happy to see her!  I have barely let her out of my sight since she got home late Sunday night ... or maybe it's her that hasn't let me out of her sight.  Before she left, I had taken to sleeping on the top shelf of the bedroom closet, on the towels, but now I am back to spending the night curled up in the crook of Mom's arm.  And yesterday, we played clicker games, like, four times.  As a special treat, we even went out to the patio behind Mom's building to practice "Come here" outside, and I did great!   (Mom and I have been learning to walk together outside without a leash.  I really hate my leash; I just lie down or try to wiggle out of my harness.  But without it, I will walk at Mom's side almost like a dog walking at heel.  We stay behind the building, well away from the road, just to be safe!)  Anyone who says that cats can't learn or don't have long-term memory is just plain wrong.  After almost two weeks without any practice, I remembered "sit," "paw" (high-five), "up," "down," "follow," "come here," and "hoop," all on the first try!

We have also progressed to the next step of my potty-training!   Mom is following the directions from this website: http://www.karawynn.net/mishacat/toilet.html   About a week before Mom left, we had gotten to the point where my litterbox was raised to the same height as the toilet seat.  Then Mom figured that since she wouldn't be around to supervise the next part, we just left it that way while she was gone.  So far, so good.  Now Mom has moved the litterbox from the stepstool-and-phonebook tower next to the toilet and onto the toilet seat itself.  I haven't used it yet; Mom is hoping that it won't slide off the seat when I try to jump into it.  Keep your paws crossed!  If all goes well, in about 24 hours Mom will remove the litterbox altogether and replace it with a round metal bowl, bought specially for this purpose, which fits snugly inside the toilet bowl and will be filled with an inch or so of litter.  I'll keep you updated on my progress!

By the way, Mom brought me a souvenir from her trip, which she was really hoping to have me model in a picture for y'all.  It's a cute little shirt, bright orange with blue trim and a smiling green cartoon turtle, and it says "Bald Head Island Conservancy."  She really wanted to write a caption that said, "Mom went to Bald Head Island, and guess what all I got was?" or something to that effect.  (Yeah, I know; Mom thinks she's very hilarious.)  It is meant for a small dog, but when Mom tried to put me in it I raised such a fuss that she worried she was actually hurting me by trying to force my delicate front paws through the armholes, so (whew!) it looks like my dignity remains intact for now.  

Anyway, it's super to have my Mom home and super to be back on Catster, now that I have my typist back.  Now to get caught up on my pawmail and all the Catster news that I've missed!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Purrs for Miss Dback, on Ginger Belle's birthday</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/343045</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 27 Jul 2007 12:50:17 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/343045</guid>
		<description>Happy Birthday, Ginger Belle! 

But it is a sad day too, because Miss Dback, Ginger Belle's sister ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Happy Birthday, Ginger Belle! 

But it is a sad day too, because Miss Dback, Ginger Belle's sister, and my adopted big sister, is in hospice care, and will soon be joining her brother Buster and my sister Spike at the Rainbow Bridge.  

I am so glad that I got to know Miss Dback during her time on earth!  She is kind, generous, and a truly special cat.  I feel very fortunate and honored to have had Miss Dback as my Catster mentor, and I hope I can live up to her example as a mentor myself.  And now, I know, I will be blessed to have her as an extra-special guardian angel.  

The shooting-star background on my page is in honor and memory of Miss Dback.  With each star, please join me in making a wish for her final journey to be gentle and in the arms of her loving family.

Many purrs and hugs to Miss Dback, Ginger Belle, and their family!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>Jubilee's Craft Corner!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/337234</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 15 Jul 2007 11:09:45 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/337234</guid>
		<description>My mom just whipped me up a snazzy new toy, and I like it a lot!  It's a soft catnip-filled mousie-t ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ My mom just whipped me up a snazzy new toy, and I like it a lot!  It's a soft catnip-filled mousie-thing with a long ribbon tail -- easy to make and fun to play with!  

Here's how she did it, so you can ask your mom or dad to make one for you.  If they are at all artsy-crafty, they will already have all the supplies, and the project will take less than half an hour.

You will need:
-- a piece of sturdy fabric, about 4-6" square, depending on how large you want your toy to be
-- sturdy ribbon or cord
-- a circular pattern to trace (Mom used a plastic lid about 4" in diameter) 
-- a pencil
-- needle and thread 
-- fiberfill stuffing (you could use cotton balls)
-- catnip 

Actually, you can make your toy either a triangle or a half-circle shape.  If you want a triangle, just fold a square of fabric in half diagonally, with the inside of the fabric facing out, and sew around the edges, leaving an opening, about 1/2"-1", at one end.  If you want a half-circle, use a pencil to trace a circle pattern on the fabric, cut out your circle, fold the circle in half with the inside of the fabric facing out, and sew around the edges, leaving an opening, about 1/2"-1", at one end.

Turn the triangle or half-circle right-side out.  Fill it about halfway with stuffing, then add some catnip.  (Mom made a little paper funnel to help get the loose catnip into the small opening.)  Fill the rest of the way with stuffing.  

Tie one end of your ribbon or cord into a knot to prevent fraying.  Stick the other end a couple of inches into the opening of the toy's body.  Now sew the opening shut, making sure to firmly secure the tail.  Voila!

I bet lots of other Catsters are into crafts -- I'd love to hear what  your mom or dad has made for YOU!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 26 -- The Final Chapter!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/336113</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 12 Jul 2007 16:11:21 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/336113</guid>
		<description>Yep, it's true!  Sorry I kept you all waiting for it yesterday, but here it is, at last, the extra-l ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Yep, it's true!  Sorry I kept you all waiting for it yesterday, but here it is, at last, the extra-long FINAL CHAPTER!

*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), the sun was rising -- time for the cats who want to find homes to follow Orangina to the local no-kill shelter, and almost time for me to go back to my home. ***

Thereâs not much left to tell.  The cats leaving for the shelter said their goodbyes.  About half the cats decided to follow Orangina to the shelter, but Bella, Jewel, and Kimba and his family were all among the cats who chose to stay behind.

âNothing personal, sister housecat,â Bella explained.  She put her front paws around Jewelâs shoulders.  âItâs just that I missed Jewel so much while I was at Docâs lab.  We donât want to be separated again.â  

âMy family needs me,â Kimbaâs daughter, whose name was Cricket, agreed, nursing her four kittens.  

âAnd Iâm an old cat, set in my ways.â  Kimba affectionately groomed Cricketâs ears.

Orangina called for all the cats headed for the shelter to follow her.  I ran to her side as she prepared to climb the pile of furniture and boxes to the window.  âOrangina, do you need my help?  I came from that shelter, and I know the way.â

The orange tabby shook her head with a kind smile.  âThank you, little sister, but you have done enough for one night.  Besides, I promised you would be home in time for breakfast, and the sun is almost fully risen.  Many thanks for your cleverness, kindness, and bravery, Jubilee.  You are always welcome among us.  Walk as one with the night.â  She leaped to the window, and the shelter-bound cats followed her out, swift and silent.

I must have looked disappointed.  Ham headbutted my shoulder.  âSo tell me, Jubilee.  When you got out last night, did you expect to find yourself getting involved with a team of cats to foil a vivisectionist?â

âWell, Iâm an optimist, so, yes,â I replied, and we both laughed.

Ham looked at me, smiling with his warm green eyes.  He gently placed his paw on mine.  âI hope you get out again soon.â  

I was too flustered to know what to say, and was glad that Bella and Jewel playfully pounced on top of me while I was still blushing and stammering.  âCome on, Jubilee!  Letâs go play outside!â

âBut, I have to get home,â I protested.

âOh, itâs still early!â Bella insisted.  âJust come hunt for a little while!â

Kimba gently interrupted.  âThe teams are leaving for home.  Come say goodbye.â

The window was too high for the dogs to climb to, so the teams left the basement by the stairs, after many hugs and headbutts and sloppy dog-kisses and wincing cats wiping dog drool from their fur, all waving and calling out goodbyes as they went.  Tracer and Mariposa, their black tails held high in proud plumes.  Sunny, her mouth open in a happy grin, and Blofeld, his fluffy white chest puffed out.  Max and Pumpkin, nuzzling one another as they walked side by side, with Buster wagging his tail right behind them.  And, alone, after a final kiss on the nose from Bella and Jewel, Gus.  The cats bon-voyaged from the basement steps until the dogsâ toenails could no longer be heard on the floorboards.

Once Orangina, the shelter-bound group of cats, and the cat-dog teams were gone, the basement felt very quiet.  Exhausted cats settled in nests of newspaper and old clothes, curled in purring bundles of two or three or four.  

âWalk as one with the night, little sister,â Kimba bowed formally, balancing carefully on his bandaged paw.  

âWalk as one with the night, elder brother.â  I returned Kimbaâs respectful farewell.  Then I hugged him as tightly as I could without hurting him.  âThank you, Kimba, for believing in me.â

âMy belief was not misplaced, little one,â Kimba purred.

Kimba went to join his yawning daughter and grandkittens in a box of rumpled table linens.  Bella and Jewel were prancing at the base of the makeshift ladder below the basement window, with Ham beside them.

âHunt with us, Jubilee!â  Bella and Jewel invited.

I hesitated.  I really should be getting home.  âHam, do you have to go home now?â

Ham admitted that he could probably stay out just a little longer, and upon reflection I decided that since Iâd already been out this long another hour or two wouldnât matter, and Bella and Jewel said they werenât tired at all, so in the end we went hunting in the rose-tangled yard around the burned house.  With so many cats around, the mice not eaten had long since wised up and moved on, so there was nothing to chase except a few butterflies, but still it was good to feel the hunting instinct warm my blood, to stalk and pounce in the green shifting shadows.  Once or twice I thought I heard my mom calling me, but it seemed very far away, not quite real.

âLadies, I have to get home.  My dad will be wondering where I am,â Ham finally said, panting, with a rose petal stuck to his head.  A smart-alecky hummingbird had just lured him into a rosebush, hovering a millimeter from his paws until Ham pounced, and then it had darted away, laughing, while Ham crashed headfirst into the roses.  âYou should be getting home too, Jubilee.  Iâll walk you.â

Bella and Jewel protested, but they hugged me goodbye and welcomed me to join them outside again soon, and Ham and I left the yard through the gap in the fence, crossed the back patio next door, and walked along the top of the fence, behind the blackberry brambles at the rear of the vacant lot, until our way was crossed by an overhanging oak branch that extended above the rear fence to shade the small cement patio behind my very own building.  The tree trunk sloped down on the other side of the fence, into the next back yard.

âThis is where I have to say goodbye,â Ham said.  His green eyes were wistful.  âWalk as one with the night, Jubilee.â

Once again, I didnât know what to say, so I said, more stiffly than I had intended, âWalk as one with the night, Ham.â  Then I shyly added, âI hope I see you again.â

âSo do I.â  Ham hesitated a moment, then he quickly kissed me on the cheek, and darted down the tree trunk and across the yard before I could move.

Feeling a little lightheaded, I walked out onto the long, almost-horizontal branch, and draped myself over it, sighing.  I needed to collect my thoughts.  I guess I dozed off.  I found myself back in a cage.  It was dark, and I was alone and afraid.  I called for help, but heard only the echo of my own voice.  Then, in the distance, I heard a familiar voice, calling my name.  The cage door opened, and light streamed in.  In the light, I saw my momâs face, smiling at me, her gentle hands opening the cage, reaching towards me, just the way she had on the day we first met at the shelter, as she called to me, and all my loneliness and fear washed away in a warm tide of love. 

âJubilee!  Jubilee!â

I opened my eyes.  I was still on the branch.  Sun was dappling through the leaves.  But I could still hear my momâs voice, calling me.

âJubilee!  Jubilee!â

I looked down.  My mom was right below me, in her pajamas, holding an open can of cat food.  She did not look as though she had slept well.  She put down the can of food, but I was still full of minnow-cream cheese rolls from the party.  I walked back along the branch to the fence, and let Mom reach up, pluck me from the top of the fence, and scoop me into her arms.

âOh, Jubilee, you had me worried,â she crooned into my fur as she carried me inside.  âWhere on earth were you all night?â

THE END!!!!  Thanks for reading, everyone!  I hope to get out for more adventures with my new friends soon!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 25!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/335174</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 10 Jul 2007 13:47:38 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/335174</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), the cats from the lab had been happily and safely reun ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), the cats from the lab had been happily and safely reunited with their friends and families in the abandoned house, and all the cats are throwing a big party to celebrate! ***

It was a great party!  The old card tables that had been propped behind the basement stairs were now buffet tables loaded with food.  An all-cat band set up its instruments and started playing, and the basement floor became a dance floor for the crowd of cats and our canine friends.  Max and Pumpkin shook their round booties, and all four dogs entertained the cats with a special dog-dance of celebration.

âWhere did all this food come from?â I asked Ham, as I drooled at the spread of fresh salmon, minnow-cream cheese rolls, several different kinds of cheese, slices of ham, turkey, and chicken ... my stomach growled, and I silenced it with a minnow-cream cheese roll.  âThis is delicious!  Ham, try one!"

âThanks,â Ham smiled proudly.  âActually, I supplied the food.  I mean, I told the other cats where they could find it, while I was out helping Orangina.  My dad owns a deli.  Thatâs how I got my name.â

âI got mine because my mom says I make every day a celebration,â I said through a mouthful of a few more minnow rolls.  

âWell, you certainly made this celebration possible,â Ham said.  He was exaggerating, but it was still nice of him to say.  Then he asked, bashfully,  âWould you like to dance?â

I danced with Ham, and then I danced with Bella and Jewel in a giggly girly group, and then I danced a very dignified and careful dance with Kimba, who was still hopping on three legs.  His daughter had tied a bandage around his hurt paw.  Kimba introduced me to his daughter and his grandkittens, and Mariposa gave me a ride on her back while Tracer danced with Orangina, and then I danced with Ham some more.  By the time the band stopped, dawn-pink light was streaming through the broken basement window.  

Ham, Bella, Jewel and I were curled up in an exhausted heap when Orangina called for attention.  âThis house is now a safe haven for any homeless cat who wishes to stay.â  The cats applauded, but Orangina held up her paw for silence.  âBut you have all seen the dangers that can befall a homeless cat.  There is a shelter nearby where any cat who wishes can start a new life, with a human family to protect and care for you.  If you leave now, you can be there waiting for the shelter staff to find you when they arrive.  I will lead the way.â

STAY TUNED!!!!  I wonder if any of the homeless cats will decide to follow Orangina to the shelter?]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 24!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/334716</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 9 Jul 2007 13:50:19 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/334716</guid>
		<description>Hi all!  Sorry there was no entry yesterday; Mom and Dad slept in and then hung around all afternoon ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hi all!  Sorry there was no entry yesterday; Mom and Dad slept in and then hung around all afternoon, and I couldn't manage to sneak onto the computer without them noticing.  But here's Part 24 now!

*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), Bella, Jewel, and Ham had just convinced me that surely my mom wouldnât notice if I stayed out just a few more hours, because thereâs going to be a big party to celebrate Orangina and her gang defeating Doc, and all the cats returning safely home.  Sounds like fun! ***

After we had been walking for a good while, things started to smell familiar.  We were back on my block!  Orangina led the group right behind my building and through the vacant lot where the blackberry brambles concealed the secret hideout.  As the group crossed the lot, I hesitated.  

âHey, see that balcony?  I jumped off of it, and I landed right over there.â  I pointed.  

âNot bad!â  Bella sounded impressed.

âJubilee is a special cat, all right,â Ham said.  I was glad that my nose is black, too dark for Ham to see me blushing.

The first-floor balcony door was closed. Mom must have closed it when she noticed I was gone.  I glanced up at the second-floor balcony.  The sliding glass door was partially open, the long Japanese-print curtains moving in the breeze, and behind the door, the bedroom was dark and quiet.  My mom was sleeping.  She wouldnât mind if I went to the party.  

âJubilee, weâre falling way behind the group!â  Gusâs snout nudged my rump.  We ran to catch up.

For the second time that night, I jumped the fence, crossed the patio behind the apartment building on the other side of the vacant lot, and squeezed through the gap in the next fence, into the overgrown backyard of the abandoned, fire-damaged house.  Mariposa and Sunny were pulling the loose board away from the basement window, to make the opening large enough for the dogs to get through.  I could hear dozens of cheering cats inside.

With the dogs forming a protective wall on either side of the window, all the cats streamed through, into the basement of the abandoned house.  Orangina waited outside, by the window, making sure every cat made it in.  When the last of the cats from the lab was inside the house, the cat riders jumped down from their dog partners, and the cats and dogs went in together: Mariposa and Tracer; Sunny, with Kimba slowly but proudly limping on three legs, and Blofeld strutting beside them; Buster, accompanied by Max and Pumpkin; and finally Gus, with Jewel and Bella.  Ham and I followed them.  Orangina stopped me as I started through the window.  

Ham waited beside me as Orangina put her paw on my shoulder and said, âThank you for your help tonight, little sister.  You did well.â  She gave me a warm hug, and I thought my chest would burst with happiness and pride.  âNow, letâs go inside.â

Ham and I jumped through the window and into the basement, which was crowded with happy, purring cats.  Everywhere, there were cats embracing, reunited with their friends, brothers, sisters, mates, parents, grandparents.  I saw Kimba rolling on the floor, laughing with delight, his injured paw forgotten as several grandkittens romped with him, their calico mother weeping happy tears.  Then Orangina leaped to the floor, and all the cats sent up a loud cheer.  âHooray for Orangina!â

STAY TUNED!!!!  Cats know how to celebrate!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 23!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/333949</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 7 Jul 2007 14:29:07 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/333949</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), all of the animals had left ViviSelection Biological S ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), all of the animals had left ViviSelection Biological Supply at last!  The police have arrived to make sure that Doc wonât hurt any animals again, and Orangina is leading all the cats to safety, with the dogs accompanying us for protection. ***

âDid you hear that?â  I said to Ham, as we loped along side by side.  âThose sneaky rats!â

âI guess they didnât need our help after all,â Ham said, sounding embarrassed.  âBut it was very kind of you to want to help them, Jubilee.â   

Gus, with Jewel and Bella on his back, was right behind us, and I heard the two litter-sisters giggling together as they eavesdropped. 

âSo, what was your idea for getting all the rodents out of the lab?â  I asked Ham.  

He smiled modestly.  âNothing exciting.  I thought we might put the mice in some of Buck and Leroyâs cages, from the truck, and have the dogs carry them.â

âThat was a great plan,â I assured him, with a shy sidelong smile.

On Gusâs back, Jewel giggled some more.  But Bella leaned down towards Ham and me, gripping Gusâs collar so as not to lose her balance as the greyhound trotted along, and said, sincerely, âYou would have been proud of Jubilee tonight, Ham.  I doubted her at first, but she was really brave.â  She glanced at me, her eyes dancing with friendly mischief.  â... For a housecat.â

We laughed, and journeyed on through the night towards home, through back yards and alleys, keeping away from streetlights and cars, scraping under fences and crawling under hedges.  I was glad Orangina knew where we were going.  

âWhere are we going?â I asked.  âI should probably be getting home.â

âThe abandoned house will be safe again for those cats who wish to return,â Ham said.  âFor those who wish to start a new life, Orangina has a plan as well.â  Did I mention that cats like to speak in riddles?  âBut there are a few hours left before sunrise, Jubilee.  Youâll join us for the party, wonât you?â

Before I could reply, Bella chimed, âOf course she will!  The celebration wouldnât be complete without you, Jubilee!â

âOf course it wouldnât!â Jewel agreed.  

âYou donât have to go home already, do you?â Bella continued.

We were cutting through an elementary school playground, keeping close to the chain link fence.  I looked up at the sky.  The stars were still out, the darkness barely starting to fade to pre-dawn grey.  It seemed like a lifetime since Iâd been in my own bed, but the whole adventure had taken less than a single night.

âWhat do you say, Jubilee?â Ham asked.  âWill you stay out a little longer, and come to the party?  Please?â  

Hamâs green eyes, and the peer pressure from Bella and Jewel, made an irresistible combination. âWell ... my mom is probably still asleep ... I guess a few more hours wonât matter.â 

STAY TUNED!!!!  Party?  What party?]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 22!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/333428</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 6 Jul 2007 10:51:52 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/333428</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), we were finally about to leave the lab! ***

Bella j ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), we were finally about to leave the lab! ***

Bella joined Jewel on Gusâs back.  I joined Ham and Orangina by the door.

âStay close to me, Jubilee,â Ham said.  Bella and Jewel giggled.  I made a face at them over my shoulder as I followed Ham outside, where all the freed cats were clustered, murmuring impatiently.  The police sirens sounded very close.

The hood of the pickup truck was open, and Sunnyâs rear paws were on the bumper, her head buried in the truckâs workings.  Kimba was still on her back, sitting up and already looking much stronger, and Blofeld was balanced on the battery.  âGot it!â  Sunny triumphantly emerged from the engine with a mouthful of important-looking wires.  âTell Orangina!â

âOrangina!â Ham shouted towards the door, where Orangina waited, silhouetted against the light inside.  âSunny fixed the truck!  Give the signal!â

Orangina nodded.  âTeams, release them and back way slowly, on three.  One.â  The cats tightened their grips on the dogsâ collars and adjusted their balance.  âTwo.â  The dogsâ muscles tensed.  âThree.â  In unison, the dogs released the men and backed out of the lab, growling intimidatingly, the men still frozen in place, their faces whiter than Docâs white lab coat.

Buster accidentally backed into the lab table.  âA little to the left, hon,â Pumpkin suggested.

Orangina waited by the door until all the dog and cat teams were out of the lab, then sprang to the head of the pack before Doc, Buck, and Leroy had gathered the courage to move.  âLetâs go home!â

Led by Orangina, with Sunny, Kimba, and Blofeld at the front, Buster, Max, and Pumpkin on the left flank, Tracer and Mariposa on the right flank, and Gus, Bella, and Jewel protecting the rear, the pack of cats and our dog protectors left the parking lot, keeping to the shadows.  I was at the back of the group, along with Ham.  Two police cars screamed around a corner.  We waited until they passed us, then crossed the street as a group, and ran.  

Behind us, faint in the distance, I thought I heard the voice of the first rat who had spoken to Orangina, whooping, âStupid cats!â  And another ratâs voice, chortling, âHonored family tradition?  Good one, Doug!â  I looked back, in time to see the last rabbits flashing away in all directions, and dozens of white mice and rats, illuminated red and blue in the squad car lights, disappearing under the ViviSelection Biological Supply dumpster.  Iâm pretty sure I heard them laughing. 

STAY TUNED!!!!  The nightâs not over yet!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 21!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/332893</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 5 Jul 2007 10:48:45 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/332893</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!),  Orangina and her gang had gotten all the cats out of  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!),  Orangina and her gang had gotten all the cats out of the lab, and tried to free the lab rodents, but thereâs a problem -- the police are on the way, and the rodents wonât leave! ***

Blofeld nudged Sunny, and she trotted out of the lab, with Blofeld and Kimba on her back.  From outside, I could hear Blofeldâs deep voice booming at the herd of cats.  âEveryone stay together!â

âListen up, rodents!â  Ham spoke sharply, and the rodents all cringed.  âI have an idea!  Thereâs a shelter that will take you all in, and itâs not far from here.  Any of you who want to find new homes, Iâll lead you there.â

âPlease, kind and noble cats,â the rat stammered, âyou misunderstand.  We werenât brought here like you.  Most of us were born here.  Those who werenât, were born in other places like this one.  Weâve never known anything else.  We donât want to leave.â

âI suppose I didnât consider that when I set out to free you, small ones,â Orangina sighed.

âIâm a fortieth-generation lab rat!  Itâs an honored family tradition!â another rat piped, and the other rodents chattered in agreement.

Ham looked disappointed.  His whiskers drooped.  âBut ... we could have used the empty cages in the back of Buck and Leroyâs truck ...â

"Iâm so glad we just wasted valuable time on an ethical debate about helping a bunch of animals who donât even want to be helped,â muttered Max, shooting me a dirty look.  My nose burned with embarrassment.  Bella gave me a comforting ear-nuzzle.  

âCats rescuing rodents,â Pumpkin growled, also shooting me a dirty look.  âThe very idea.â

Still on top of Leroy, Buster affectionately nipped at Pumpkinâs tail.  âYeah, next thing you know, dogs will be letting cats ride on them,â he chuckled.  âJubilee was just trying to help.  Thatâs why weâre here, right?â  Then he lowered his head so that Pumpkin could easily walk onto his back and join Max there.  Leroy groaned under Pumpkinâs added weight.

I smiled gratefully at Bella and Buster, as Pumpkin headbutted Max.  âDid you miss me, honeybuns?â she purred. 

âTheyâre material evidence, anyway,â Tracer pointed out.  âItâll be a stronger case against Doc if there are actually some animals here when the police arrive.â 

âSpeaking of which ...â  Orangina reminded us.  The sirens were just a few blocks away now.  âCats, time to go.  Dogs, hold the men until my signal.â

STAY TUNED!!!!  Time to finally leave ViviSelection Biological Supply and head back home!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 20!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/332409</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 4 Jul 2007 10:04:34 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/332409</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), all the cats had safely escaped from the lab, but Oran ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), all the cats had safely escaped from the lab, but Orangina isnât finished yet! ***

âPumpkin, help me get the other cages open,â Orangina said.  

Pumpkin grumbled, âThis part wasnât my idea,â but followed Orangina across the lab to the wall of rodent cages, and the two of them swiftly and efficiently opened every cage containing rats, mice, guinea pigs, and rabbits.  Unlike the cats, who had jumped right out when Orangina opened their cages, the rodents retreated as far back into the cages as they could.  Some of them hid under the newspaper lining the cage floors.  I didnât blame them.

Then Orangina jumped to the shelf closest to the phone on the wall by the Private door, knocked the receiver off the hook, and hit three numbers with her paw:  9 - 1 - 1.

A human voice squawked from the dangling telephone.  âNine one one, what is your emergency?â  Doc, Buck, and Leroy all looked as though they wanted to say something, but mere looks from Mariposa, Gus, and Buster were enough to stop them.

âWhat are you doing?â I asked.  âWonât that bring lots of humans here?â

âWhen the police see the room behind that door, theyâll find out about everything Doc has been up to,â Orangina said.  âThanks to the Great Cat that where we live there are laws to protect cats from men like him.â   She turned to the rodents.  âGo free, small ones,â Orangina told the mice, rabbits, guinea pigs, and rats, who shivered, terrified, in the corners of their cages.  âThis night you are safe from us.â

âBut donât count on tomorrow night,â Pumpkin smiled, showing her sharp teeth.  âSo Iâd get moving if I were you.â

âUm, if you donât mind, maâam, weâll just stay here,â a white rat spoke up, its voice trembling.  âNo disrespect intended.â

Orangina blinked with suprise, but shrugged.  âDo as you will, then.  However, I strongly advise you all to leave this place.â  

âBut ... where would we go?â asked a small, pink-eyed rabbit.

Pumpkin rolled her eyes.  âRodents,â she muttered under her breath.  âWe donât care where you go!â she snapped.  âIt was Oranginaâs idea to open all your cages and let you go free.  But sheâs only doing it to take down Docâs business.  Youâre lucky weâre not making you all into hors dâoeuvres!â

Several dozen sets each of shiny black and pink eyes gazed imploringly at Orangina.  

Bella and I glanced at each other.  I knew what my new friend was thinking.  She nodded, and I turned to Orangina.

âOrangina,â I said, âmaybe we can help them.  You and I both know what itâs like to be in a cage, regarded as an object for study, considered less than ... well, less than human.â  Orangina listened solemnly as I went on.  âIf the police find them, they may just send them to another lab.  Isnât there someplace theyâll be safe?â  

âGive me a break with the bleeding-heart routine.  We opened their cages.  We promised not to eat them tonight.  Letâs get out of here, already!â groaned Max, impatiently kneading Busterâs neck with his front paws.  Buster was lying across Leroyâs back.  Leroy had given up struggling and just lay there, limp as a dishrag.

Gus, who was still sitting on Buck, raised his head.  âNo, my friends, young Jubilee has a point.  I used to be a racing dog.  When I started losing races, they dumped me by a highway.â  Buck weakly tried to sit up and Gus broke off to bark angrily in Buckâs face.  âPardon me,â Gus apologized once Buck had calmed down.  âAs I was saying.  If some good humans hadnât found me, I wouldnât be here to help you cats today.  No animal deserves to be used and then thrown away.  Every animal deserves a second chance.â  

âWisely spoken.â  Kimbaâs voice was weak, but clear.  âI agree, Orangina.  If the small ones need and want our help, we should offer it to them.â

At the old catâs words, Orangina deferentially bowed her head.  âYes, Kimba.â

Pumpkin and Max started to protest, but Hamâs eyes lit up with an idea.  âI think I know what to do!â  

Sirens wailed in the distance, faint but getting closer.  âIf you cats donât mind, we should probably get out of here,â Tracer said.  Mariposaâs paws were still on Docâs chest.  Every time Doc so much as turned his head, Mariposa growled sternly and Doc held still.

Jewel leaped from the table onto Gus and took hold of the greyhoundâs collar, preparing to ride.  Sunny and Blofeld pranced at the door.  Kimba lay across Sunnyâs back, in front of Blofeld.   

âCome on, cats!â  Blofeld boomed.  âLetâs move out!â

STAY TUNED!!!!  What is Hamâs plan to help the rodents?  Whatever it is, weâd better hurry!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 19!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/331980</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 3 Jul 2007 12:05:47 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/331980</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), four friendly dogs ridden by cats had the bad guys at  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), four friendly dogs ridden by cats had the bad guys at bay! ***

Ham and Pumpkin, who had both been herding cats towards the exit, joined Orangina on the lab table.  Three of the dog and cat teams kept the bad guys pinned, barking and growling furiously if any of them tried to speak or move, while Sunny, the golden retriever, and Blofeld, the white Persian, kept watch at the door.  âCats!  Stay together!â Orangina ordered.  âWait outside until everycat gets out, and we will travel as a group, with the dogs for protection.â

The cats flowed out of the lab to gather in the shadows behind the building, next to the dumpsters.  On the other side of the lab, I could see Kimba still lying by the fishtanks, where he had fallen after Doc struck him.  Kimbaâs eyes were closed, but I could see the shallow rise and fall of his ribcage and knew with relief that he was breathing.  

I quickly climbed down from the high shelf to perch on a lower one, near Bella and Jewel but out of reach of Buck, who struggled when he saw me.  Gus barked threateningly at Buck and he lay still, glaring at me.  âBella, Kimba needs help!â

âIâve got things under control here, Jewel,â Gus said.  âGo help Kimba.â

Bella, Jewel, and I ran across the lab, dodging and jumping over the escaping cats to reach Kimba.  We gathered around the unconscious Siamese, gently nudging him.

âKimba?  Kimba, please wake up.â  Bella began to cry.  Jewel comfortingly licked her litter-sisterâs ear.  Bella nuzzled Kimbaâs face with her cheek, her tears falling onto his chocolate-point nose.

Kimbaâs nose twitched.

My eyes widened.  âBella, look!â  

Bella continued to cry.  Another tear fell onto Kimbaâs nose, and Kimba wrinkled his nose, sneezed, and opened his eyes.  âNo need to cry, little Bella,â he said, lifting his head with effort to rub her cheek.  âIâm still with you.â  He looked around, and saw Jewel and me.  He smiled.  âJewel.â  Then his kindly blue eyes met mine.  âAnd brave little Jubilee.â   

We hugged Kimba, purring.  âAre you all right?â  Jewel asked.  âAre you hurt?  Do you need a vet?â

Kimba cautiously tried to stand, but fell again, wincing in pain when his left front paw touched the floor.  Bella, Jewel, and I rushed to catch him.  âIâll be all right,â he said, shaking us off.   

âKimba!â  Orangina leaped off the table and landed right next to me.  âElder One, are you hurt?â

âOnly my dignity,â Kimba chuckled, hopping on three legs and biting back a yelp of pain as his front paw brushed the floor again.  

âDonât try to move, Kimba.  Blofeld!  Sunny!  We need help!â  At Oranginaâs summons, the golden retriever and the Persian left their post by the door.  Together, we carefully placed Kimba across Sunnyâs back.  âHeâll be fine,â Orangina assured us.  âItâs just a sprained paw.â

âIâve survived worse,â Kimba groaned, as Sunny stood up, moving gingerly so as not to jolt Kimbaâs injured leg.

Blofeld tenderly headbutted Kimba, and rasped, âItâs good to see you again, old friend.â

By now, the last cats were leaving the lab, and the group of cats was impatiently milling around outside.  Gus held Buck down, Mariposa and Tracer kept Doc trapped against the wall of cat cages, and Buster and Max pinned down Leroy.  Sunny and Blofeld, with Kimba, returned to the door to watch over the cats.  Orangina jumped back onto the lab table and gestured for Bella, Jewel, and me to come up too.

Once we were all on the table, Jewel looked at me.  âI donât believe weâve officially met.â

âJubilee, this is my litter-sister, Jewel,â  Bella said, sounding shy for the first time.  âJewel, this is Jubilee, my new friend.â

âPlenty of time for a group hug later,â Pumpkin said.  âOrangina, letâs finish up here.â

âWhat do you mean?â I asked.  âAll the cats are free.  Isnât that what we came here to do?â

Orangina shook her head.  âItâs part of what we came here to do.  Just one final task before we go.â

STAY TUNED!!!!  What does Orangina have planned now?]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>I Am A Mighty Huntress!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/331526</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 2 Jul 2007 12:36:47 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/331526</guid>
		<description>Hi everyone!  I'm taking a special break from My Awesome Adventure story today, because I have a few ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hi everyone!  I'm taking a special break from My Awesome Adventure story today, because I have a few exciting news items to report.  

First of all, Mom and I have continued to play our clicker games, and I can now officially jump through a hoop!  For real!!!  Mom ordered three large, inexpensive wooden embroidery hoops (don't you love online shopping?)  -- 23", 18", and 14".  We're still working on the smaller ones, but I can jump through the big hoop, both when Mom holds it between two chairs, and when Mom holds it a foot or so off the floor.  TA DA!!!!!  (For more on how I learned this cool trick, you can join my Clicks For Cats group!)

On the day the cute young UPS guy (love those shorts!) brought the hoops, he brought another box, too.  Mom said both boxes were for me!  The large, flattish square box contained the hoops; the other held two big jugs of crystal cat litter (feh to that; it's like getting socks for Christmas >:p ) ... and also a whole bunch of NEW TOYS!  There were little catnip mice, and a furry type of teaser-thing, and a feather cat-dancer, and a couple of little stuffed fishies that make a crinkly noise when you bite them, and a stuffed catnip-scented piggie for my little step-sister Molly.  But of course my favorite toy of all was ... the box!  I was sad when Mom took the box to out the recycling bin the next day.  

And my little step-sister Molly just joined Catster!  She is soooooooo cute (Mom says), and from the same shelter as me.  Her new Daddy is a good pal of Mom's, and Mom called him when she saw Molly in the shelter and told him to come adopt her immediately, and he did!  Mom said if it wasn't for me, she would have adopted Molly herself.  Anyway, please go to her page and say hi!:  
http://www.catster.com/cats/575278

Finally -- big drum roll -- my main reason for interrupting my adventure tale -- I caught a MOTH this morning!!!!  A big moth!  I jumped on Mom's bed with something in my mouth, and dropped a huge, fluttering moth right next to Mom!  It kept trying to escape, and I had a great time chasing it all around Mom's bedroom before I finally took it under the bed to ... um ... give it a kiss on its little forehead and nurse it back to health and set it free ... right, Mom?

STAY TUNED!!!!  My Awesome Adventure will be back tomorrow, with Part 19!  

(By the way, just in case any cats on Catster or dogs on Dogster have the same names as cats and dogs in my exciting adventure tale, I promise any resemblance is purely coincidental!  Most are actual cats and dogs in my neighborhood, and others are cat and dog friends of Momâs, including from the shelter where she volunteers.)]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 18!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/331156</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 1 Jul 2007 15:19:34 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/331156</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), Pumpkin had just opened the lab door, and Tracer rode  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), Pumpkin had just opened the lab door, and Tracer rode in on a friendly dog!  But Buck is trying to get me, and Kimba is hurt! ***

Orangina had leaped off Doc and onto the lab table.  Cats started running for the open door.  The Labrador charged across the lab, straight at Doc, barking ferociously, cats scattering away from her big paws.  In rapid succession, three more large, barking dogs rampaged through the lab door, each ridden by a cat.  A German shepherd with a stocky brown tabby on his back was right behind Tracer and the Lab, followed by a greyhound ridden by a grey and white cat, and a golden retriever ridden by a fluffy white Persian.  

Doc shakily got to his feet, his lab coat in shreds, his glasses hanging from one bleeding ear, his hair standing out in tufts.  His eyes lit on Orangina, but he didnât even have time to contort his features into a mask of villainous rage before the Lab sailed over the table in a powerful leap.  Her front paws struck Doc squarely in the chest and knocked him back against the wall of cat cages.  Doc squirmed in terror, pinned like an insect by the black dog and the black cat.  The Labâs jaws snapped a millimeter from Docâs nose as she barked at him, spraying him with dog spit.  

âGood work, Mariposa!â  Tracer nuzzled the back of the dogâs head with his nose as she continued to hold Doc firmly against the wall.  

Orangina stood calmly on the table, watching as the cats began to leave the lab.  A tattered Leroy started to reach for her.  The German shepherd ran around the lab table, jumped on him from behind, and Leroy sprawled on the floor, the dog on his back, the tabby laughing, the German shepherd barking loudly in Leroyâs ear, his strong front paws planted on Leroyâs skinny shoulder blades.  

âHowâd I do, Max?â  The German shepherd was full-sized, but barely more than a puppy.   Despite his savage-sounding barking, his tail wagged eagerly.

âNot bad, Buster, not bad,â laughed the tabby.

While Buster and Max took down Leroy, Buck advanced another shelf towards Bella and me.  Well, mostly me.  I mean, Bella was right there beside me, but Buck wasnât interested in her.  

âI misjudged you, Jubilee,â Bella said, as Buck struggled towards the next shelf.  âAnycat who can make a human this mad has to be pretty cool.â

A growling bass voice boomed, âJewel and Gus, get the one over there while Sunny and I cover the exit!â  It was the white Persian on the golden retriever.

Bellaâs ears perked up.  âJewel!â

âGot him, Blofeld!â  The greyhound leapt up at Buck and grabbed him by the seat of his pants.  

âSmell ya later!â  Bella waved merrily as Buck crashed down.

The greyhound jumped on Buckâs chest and sat there, drooling and barking.  The grey and white cat looked up at Bella and me, and her face broke into a delighted smile.  âBella!  Litter-sister!â  Heedless of Buck flailing beneath the greyhound, Bella swooped off the shelf in a graceful spring, and landed beside Jewel on Gusâs back.  The two cats happily embraced.   

âCats, listen to me!â  Oranginaâs voice rang out above the commotion.

STAY TUNED!!!!  Is this exciting or what?!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 17!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/330703</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 30 Jun 2007 10:07:09 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/330703</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), Doc and Leroy had Orangina cornered! ***

Cats yelpe ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), Doc and Leroy had Orangina cornered! ***

Cats yelped as Leroy kicked them out of the way with his heavy boots.  He and Doc were just a few steps away from Orangina, and there were still cats in the cages.  Kimba lay motionless in a puddle of water.  Bella and I, along with the other cats on the shelves, kept bombarding Buck with glassware, but we were running out of stuff to drop.  Leroy flung a cat from his arm and lunged at Orangina, almost catching her before she bounced to another cage.

Bella nudged me.  âHey, whatâs that?â  She pointed with her paw at the ceiling directly above Doc and Leroy.

A panel in the ceiling was moving.  Doc and Leroy were so intent on capturing Orangina, and Buck on dodging the falling lab equipment, that none of them saw the panel sliding aside, or the two sets of angry cat eyes peering down.  Then Ham and Pumpkin, both with their microchip-trackers strapped to their backs, dropped from the opening in the ceiling, claws and teeth bared, right onto Doc and Leroy!  Ham clung to Leroyâs face like a fluffy grey gas mask, and Pumpkin attacked Doc, her claws flashing, a tortoiseshell dervish.  Orangina opened the last cage, and the last cat was free!  The cats swarmed over Doc and Leroy.  The two bad men were covered with snarling, hissing cats.  

âThatâs more like it!â  Bella cheered.

While Leroy blindly stumbled around, trying to remove Ham from his face and getting his pant legs shredded by shrieking cats, and Buck took a direct hit from the last remaining beaker, Pumpkin jumped onto the lab table and Orangina pounced at Doc.  Swinging from the tail of his lab coat, hanging by her claws, she dipped her head into his pocket and came out with Docâs key in her mouth.  

âHeads up, Pumpkin!â  Orangina called out.  (Remember, if you are a human reading this, that cats donât need our mouths to communicate with other cats.)  With a flick of her head, she tossed the key to Pumpkin, and Pumpkin neatly caught it. 

âGot it!â  With the key in her mouth, Pumpkin hopped down from the table and galloped towards the rodent cages.  

âWeâre out of ammunition!â  Bella said.  âBuckâs trying to climb up the shelves!â

Sure enough, Buck, holding a grudge for all the inconvenience Iâd caused him that night, was starting to climb towards us, his eyes pinpoints of rage, too focused on revenge to feel the bites and scratches of the cats he swatted out of his way.  

Pumpkin moved fast for a cat of any size; amazingly fast for a cat so rotund.  Holding onto the key that would open the lab door and free us all, she scaled the first two rows of rodent cages immediately beside the door, and, with one paw, opened a rabbit cage.  Pumpkin rode the cage door as it swung in a wide arc, sending her within reach of the doorknob of the lab door.  Ham, Orangina, and the freed cats kept Doc and Leroy too busy to notice that Pumpkin was carefully balancing on the rabbit cage door with her back feet, using her mouth to turn the key in the deadbolt lock, turning the doorknob with her front paws.  I could understand now why sheâd bragged about her skills!  

The lab door opened, and I recoiled in fear -- at first I saw only a huge black Labrador charging through the door, all cavernous mouth and dripping tongue and sharp white teeth.  Then I heard Tracerâs voice, shouting, âThe cavalry has arrived!â and I saw that the black cat was riding on the big black dogâs back, holding onto her collar with his front paws.  

STAY TUNED!!!!  Woo-hoo!!!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 16!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/330314</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 29 Jun 2007 09:44:24 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/330314</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), the cats were creating havoc in the lab, keeping Doc,  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), the cats were creating havoc in the lab, keeping Doc, Buck, and Leroy busy while Orangina hurried to get all the catsâ cages open.  But thereâs no way out of the lab! ***

Over a dozen cats were now free, milling around the lab, getting under the bad guysâ feet, hiding under the long table, climbing the bars of the rodent cages, jumping onto the shelves of shiny equipment that took up most of the one wall not lined with cages or tanks.  Bella and I were pressed against the door marked Private, the door to the room where Doc turned the cats into dissection specimens.  The steel shelves rose to our left.  The wall of cat cages was perpendicular to us on the right.  

Doc and Leroy clambered to their feet, while Orangina sprang to another cage door.  Docâs glasses were askew and his bow tie had come un-knotted, but he didnât seem to notice.  âGet that orange tabby, you slackjawed simians!â Doc yelled.  Leroy started towards Orangina but tripped over the cats twining around his shins, and fell down again.  

âNo need to insult us, Doc.  Sheesh, what a grouch!â  Buck was rounding the end of the long lab table when he spotted me in the corner with Bella.  His lips drew back in an ugly sneer.  âSay your prayers, you little devil.â  Apparently, now it was personal.  He dove at me, his Band-Aid covered hands outstretched.  

Bellaâs tail puffed out like a silver-and-black striped hairbrush.  She jumped at Buck, rabbit-kicking at his arms and head as she used him as a launch pad to leap to one of the high shelves of lab equipment.  Undeterred, Buck loomed over me, snarling.  As he prepared to lunge, a glass beaker smashed into his head, then another.  

âUp here, Jubilee!â  With her paw, Bella swept a rack of test tubes off the shelf, and Buck jumped out of the way as the test tubes rained down.

I quickly scaled the tall rack of shelves and joined Bella, well out of Buckâs reach.  I pushed a jar of thin glass tubes off the shelf and it whistled past Buck to shatter on the floor beside him. Other cats who had found refuge on the shelves joined in, and beakers, vials, test tubes, jars, and pipettes hit the floor around Buck like glass bombs. 

On the other side of the lab, Doc had roughly pulled Leroy off the floor and the two of them  advanced on Orangina.  The only cages with cats still in them were on the bottom rows.  Orangina would be within easy reach of the men while she opened them.  Cats clung to Doc and Leroy, hanging from their pant legs and the hem of Docâs lab coat, clawing and yowling, slowing them down.  Orangina was near the end of the row of cages, almost at the corner where the cat cages met the fishtanks.  

âNot that this isnât a great party,â Bella said, sending another beaker sailing down at Buck, âBut I thought you said Orangina was bringing more help.  How are we supposed to get out of here?"

Dragging cats with them, Doc and Leroy moved towards Orangina.  A cage door swang open as she clung to it, putting her within Docâs grasp.  Before Doc could seize her, a wiry Siamese leaped between Doc and Orangina, claws bared.  It was Kimba!  Doc viciously backhanded the elderly cat in mid-leap and sent him flying into the wall of glass tanks.  The water in a tank full of squid sloshed over the sides as Kimba hit the glass.  Kimba landed in a heap on the floor, not moving.  

âNo!â Bella cried.  We were trapped on the shelf, with nowhere to jump, and Buck right below.  There was no way to get to Kimba, or to Orangina, to help either of them.  We watched in horror from our high perch as Doc and Leroy waded through the cats, getting closer and closer to Orangina while she desperately hurried to open the bottom cages in the corner by the tanks.  

STAY TUNED!!!!  Oh, I canât look!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 15!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/329957</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 28 Jun 2007 12:02:26 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/329957</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), Orangina had finally arrived at the ViviSelection Biol ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), Orangina had finally arrived at the ViviSelection Biological Supply laboratory and started to free the trapped cats! ***

Buck shook lizards out of his greasy hair.  âYou again!â he barked at me.  âIâll get you!â  He stepped over wriggling frogs and broken glass and started climbing the wheeled ladder to the high shelf where I was crouched.  

Cats clawed and bit at Doc and Leroy while Orangina jumped and climbed from cage to cage, opening each door with only one paw as she hung from the wire bars, always just ahead of Doc and Leroyâs hands.  Leroy pried a cat from his thigh, a slender cat with silver tabby stripes on her head and back, and white belly, legs, and face, and roughly flung her into the corner by the door marked Private.  

âHey, that hurt!â the cat complained as she landed.  I recognized Bellaâs voice.  

Buck reached the top of the ladder.  I backed away, but I was already on the highest shelf, nowhere higher for me to climb.  I could see the grunge between Buckâs teeth as he grinned his nasty grin, the dirt under his fingernails as his hands came towards me.  âHere, kitty kitty.â    

I jumped wildly, through Buckâs grasping fingers and over his head, with no idea where I would land.  I landed on the long lab table.  My claws screeeked on the metal as I slid, scrabbling for a hold on the tractionless surface, but I couldnât stop, and I shot off the other end off the table, too fast for Doc to grab me.  My paws wheeled in the air for an instant before I landed on my feet, in the corner by the Private door, almost on top of Bella.  

I had thrown Buck off balance when I jumped over him; he fell backward, arms whirling, to the wet floor, pulling the ladder with him.  

Orangina was higher than the men could reach without the ladder, which Buck had just broken.  He struggled out from under the broken ladder, and hurled away frogs as he slowly got to his feet.  Leroy started scaling the wall towards Orangina, using the open, empty cages as footholds.  Orangina opened another cage, and the cat inside joined the fray, dropping down onto Leroyâs head.  Leroy lost his grip on the cages and crashed down onto Doc.  

âYou incompetent idiots!  You useless troglodytes! â Doc was screeching with rage, his voice muffled beneath Leroy.  

Bella and I huddled in the corner.  âThis is an improvement, at least,â she said, and we giggled together.  

STAY TUNED!!!!  The partyâs just starting!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 14!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/329496</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 27 Jun 2007 08:42:22 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/329496</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), I was in a cage at the ViviSelection Biological Supply ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), I was in a cage at the ViviSelection Biological Supply laboratory, along with a bunch of other cats, waiting for Orangina and her gang to arrive.   Doc is getting ready to turn all the cats into dissection specimens for the biology classes at Flatline High School! ***

We waited, listening to the noises coming from the small room behind the door marked Private.  Doc was still in there when Buck and Leroy knocked, and it took him a minute to emerge, close the Private door behind him, and cross the large animal-filled room to let the men in, unlocking the door with a key he took from his lab coat pocket.  Leroy was carrying a cage containing a single cat, and as he lifted the cage, my heart leaped.  The cat in the cage was Orangina!

 Leroy put the cage on the long metal table.  âIt ran right to us, practically jumped into the cage.  Almost like the stupid thing wanted to get caught.â

âJubilee!â  She softly called to me.  âAre you all right, little sister?â

âYes.  But Doc is going to kill all the cats tonight!â

âThe others will be here soon,â Orangina said.  âFellow cats!  Help is on the way!  Together, we can stop these men!â 

âFor the second time tonight, gentlemen,â Doc said, very patiently, âwhere are the rest of my cats?â

âWe looked, Doc.â  Buck pushed back his jacketâs hood and scratched his head.  âAll over the house, the basement, the whole yard.  The cats are just gone.â

âWe looked, Doc,â Leroy agreed.  âThereâs no cats there.â  

Docâs neat little mustache bristled.  âListen carefully, you two.  I donât care where you get them.  I donât care how you get them.  Walk through every neighborhood in Berkeley and Oakland with a platter of tuna sashimi if you have to, just GET ME THIRTY CATS!â

âYou mean twenty-eight, donât you Doc?â  Buck asked.  âWe already brought you two.â

Docâs face was bright red, but his voice was dangerously quiet.  âI am going to start prepping these cats.  I expect you back with the rest before Iâm done.â  He opened Oranginaâs cage and reached in for her.  

Before he could put her in one of the wall cages, Orangina sank her teeth into the fleshy part of Docâs hand, sprang from his grasp, and leaped to the door of my cage as Doc shrieked and waved his hand around.  Clinging to the bars with three of her paws, Orangina deftly opened the latch with one paw and the door swung open.  I jumped out of the cage as Orangina started to free the other cats.  

âGet the orange one!â Doc screamed, clutching his bleeding hand. 

Orangina couldnât open so many cages by herself!  I had to buy her some time.  I darted under the metal table and across the lab to the wall of tanks.  They were configured the same as the cat cages: five tanks up, ten across, the top ones higher than a tall man, with a wheeled ladder for reaching the top levels.  I jumped as high as I could, and my front paws caught the top rim of a frog tank on the third shelf up.  As my back feet scrambled for a hold on the slick glass, the tank toppled forward.  I leaped to the shelf above as the tank full of frogs shattered on the floor.  That got their attention, all right.  Panicking frogs hopped over each other as Buck came after me.  I tipped over a tank of lizards, dumping several dozen angry lizards onto Buck.  

Orangina was working fast, and several other cats were out of their cages now, defying all attempts at re-capture.  Doc and Leroy kept trying to grab Orangina, but every time she opened a cage, the cat inside sprang out, yowling, claws extended, straight at the nearest human face, and Orangina jumped to the next cage.  But how would we get out of the lab?  There were no windows.  The only door to the outside was locked, and Doc had the key.

STAY TUNED!!!  More action is on the way!]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 13!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/329041</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 26 Jun 2007 09:06:29 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/329041</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), I was still at Doc&acirc;s lab, ViviSelection Biological S ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), I was still at Docâs lab, ViviSelection Biological Supply, where I had just met Kimba, a wise old tom, and Bella, who doubted my qualifications for helping Orangina and her gang. ***

âDid you cats hear that?â hissed Bella, as Doc left the room through a side door marked Private.  âThose super-cats had better get here soon, if theyâre planning on saving us.â   

The cats murmured anxiously.

There wasnât much we could do but wait, and hope.  I paced nervously in my cage, which was bare except for newspaper on the cold metal floor.  No food or water or even a litter box.  I thought of home, and my warm, soft bed.  I wondered if my mom was still looking for me.  What would she do if I was still missing in the morning, if Orangina and Ham and Pumpkin didnât come, or if their plan didnât work?  How would she find me before I wound up on a tray in the Flatline High School biology lab?  

âJubilee.â  Kimbaâs voice.  

âYes, elder brother?â

âThere were other cats in the house.  Where are they now?â

âSafe,â I said.  âOrangina and Tracer helped them all get out.â

âAmong the cats were a calico and her kittens.  Did they ... did you happen to see them?â

I remembered the calico mother with the kitten in her mouth, and the kitten Orangina had helped to safety.   âThey are safe, Kimba.â  

Kimba purred with relief.  âThat calico is my only daughter,â he said.  âThose are my grandkittens.  Thank you, little sister.â

I felt warm with happiness and pride, until Bellaâs voice stuck a pin in my happy balloon.  âDonât thank her yet, Kimba.  You wonât see your grandkittens again if Orangina and her cats donât show up.â

âTheyâll be here!â I growled.  But I was worried.  

STAY TUNED!!!!  Where is Orangina???]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 12!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/328585</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 25 Jun 2007 10:03:30 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/328585</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), I had learned that Doc intended to sell all the cats t ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), I had learned that Doc intended to sell all the cats to a high school as dissection specimens!  Good thing Orangina and her gang are on the way! ***

While Doc strode around the laboratory, waving his arms, recounting to his captive audience the wrongs visited upon him and his scheme for revenge, I told the other cats about Oranginaâs plan.  I couldnât see any of the other cats, but we could all communicate with one another just fine.  

The cat who had complained about Docâs nightly villain soliloquy sounded like an elderly tom.  His voice was deep and kind.  âI was taken from that house a week ago,â he said.  âI know Orangina.  Sheâs a cat who keeps her word.  If she says theyâre coming for us, theyâll be here soon.â

âBut I donât know how to open a cage,â a young catâs voice piped up.

âAnd there are no windows in here.  How will they get in to save us?â another cat asked.

âI donât know,â I admitted.  âOrangina was supposed to be here with me.  But she got left behind by mistake.â  

The cats muttered.   

âBut, you at least know how to get out of a cage, right?â asked the young cat.

âWell, no.â  My nose was hot with embarrassment.  âBut ... Ham and Pumpkin are tracking my microchip.  Theyâll get here.â  

The old tom silenced the catsâ grumbles.  âPatience, cats.  Young Jubilee is here to help us.â

âGive us a break, Kimba!  That housecat doesnât even know how to get out of a cage!â snarled the young cat.  

âNeither do you, apparently,â I snapped at her.

âBella, Jubilee, settle down, both of you.â  Kimbaâs voice was quiet but stern, and we did as the elder cat said.  âCats, we will wait for Orangina and her rescue team.  When they arrive, we will assist them however we can.  Ultimately, each cat is responsible for his or her own safety, do you all understand?â  

Doc had been orating to the caged animals all this time, but now he seemed to be winding down.  âHumiliation ... the unfairness ... â  His voice trailed off, and Doc sighed and rubbed his mustache.  âWhere are those two idiots with my cats?â   Doc sighed again.  âMight as well start prepping the gas chamber, fifty cats or no,â he murmured.  âMustnât disappoint the biology students at Flatline High.â

STAY TUNED!!!!  Time is running out!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 11!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/328175</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 24 Jun 2007 09:10:47 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/328175</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), I had just arrived at the laboratory where the bad guy ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), I had just arrived at the laboratory where the bad guys are taking the stolen cats!  I hope Orangina and her gang show up to rescue us soon! ***

âWe could only find one, Doc,â Buck said apologetically.  

Doc glanced up from me in my cage, raising his eyebrows.  âWell, that simply wonât do.â  

Leroy cleared his throat.  âWell, see, Doc, the thing is, itâs getting kind of late, and if we could just get our money for this one cat, we promise to fill the rest of the order for you tomorrow night, absolutely.â

Doc looked through his glasses at Buck and Leroy as though they were very common and uninteresting lab specimens.  He was almost a foot shorter than Leroy but still managed to appear as though he were looking down at them both, through a microscope.  âI need another thirty.  Go back and get the rest,â he said.  âIâll pay you when you fill the entire order.â  He looked back down at me.  âArenât you a little beauty?  Not that itâll matter where youâre going, will it?â  He looked back up at Buck and Leroy.   

They looked like they wanted to say more, but they hustled out, leaving me in my cage on the table.  The other cats all watched as Doc removed me from that cage and placed me in an empty cage on the wall of cats.  It took all my self-control not to attack him with every claw and tooth I had, but Orangina would want me to be brave and wait patiently for Ham and Pumpkin, so I didnât make a fuss -- yet.  He handled me gently, but coldly, as though I were a piece of delicate equipment.  After he had latched the cage door, he stood back a few feet from the wall, rubbing his mustache, and regarded the row of caged felines before him.

I was about to tell the other cats about the rescue mission, but Doc started talking.  âA scientist of my prominence.  Me, a professor at a major university, reduced to such ignominy,â he muttered.  âFire me for violating your so-called humane and ethical animal research standards, will you?â

âWho is he talking to?â whispered a cat in a cage below mine.

Doc was just getting warmed up.  He paced back and forth.  âOnce I led my field in researching the effects of pain on unanesthetized animals.  Now Iâm reduced to selling frogs and stray cats to high-school science classes.  And still I am unappreciated!  Computer models!  Virtual dissections!  Mere pale copies of copies!â  His fist slammed the table, making the clipboard bounce.  âNothing is as educational as the feel of the real thing beneath oneâs scalpel blade.  Someday theyâll understand.  Iâll make them understand!â

âHeâs done this every night Iâve been here,â another cat complained.  âVengeance is mine, Iâll show them all, no one can stop me, evil laugh.â

Cats are gifted in their ability to laugh at the darkest times.  I spoke up as the catsâ giggles died down and Doc continued to rant.  âWe can stop him, fellow cats!  Help us on the way!  But we have to get ready!â  

Suddenly I had the attention of every cat.  âWeâre with you, little sister.  Tell us what to do.â

STAY TUNED!!!!  Holy Moly, I donât think Doc is playing with a full deck!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 10!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/327849</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 23 Jun 2007 09:47:28 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/327849</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), I was in a cage in the bad guys&acirc; truck, being taken  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), I was in a cage in the bad guysâ truck, being taken who-knows-where! ***

I clawed frantically at the bars of the cage, howling.  The truck went around another corner, and stopped short at a light, and all the cages slid across the truck bed and banged into the back of the cab.  âHey, shut up back there, cat!â  Leroy snapped.

âDonât worry, kitty,â Butch laughed, and in the rearview mirror I could see his stubbly face crease into an evil grin.  âWhen we get to the lab, Docâs going to give you plenty to cry about.â

The light turned green and the truck lurched forward.  I had to be brave.  I had to think.  Ham and Pumpkin would track my microchip and find me.  They would know how to rescue me and all the stolen cats.  If they found us in time.  No, not if.  They would.  I would be home for breakfast.  Orangina had promised.  And if they didnât find me ... what exactly had Pumpkin meant when she said I was their safety net?  

Every time the truck turned a corner, or stopped and started again, I lost my balance as the wire cage caromed around the truck bed.  I was feeling a little seasick by the time Buck parked the truck behind a low, windowless building.  

âGet the cage,â Buck ordered.  Leroy got the cage.  Pavement moved below the cage floor as Leroy and Buck walked past a set of dumpsters to a door marked âService Entrance -- Viviselection Biological Supply.â  Buck knocked on the door.  Nothing happened.  

After a minute, Leroy whispered, âMaybe he didnât hear you.â

Buck raised his fist to knock again but just then there was a rattling of keys on the other side of the knob, and the door opened.  A squirrelly-looking little man wearing round glasses, a lab coat, and a bow tie let Buck and Leroy in.  He took the cage from Leroy and set it on a long metal table in the center of the room.  âHow many more are in the truck?â he asked, peering closely at me.  He had neatly-trimmed grey hair and a small, clipped mustache.  He smelled like breath mints and formaldehyde.

We were in a brightly-lit room lined with cages and tanks.  Fish, frogs, and lizards swam, hopped, and scuttled in the crowded tanks at the end of the room.  Mice, rats, rabbits, and guinea pigs squeaked and rustled in the cages on one side.  On the other side of the room, the cages held cats.  More than twenty cats, with room for at least thirty more.  As I scanned the room, I noticed a clipboard on the table beside my cage.  It held an order form.  âFlatline High School,â  I read.  â50 Cats for Dissection.â  

STAY TUNED!!!!  Will Orangina and her gang show up in time to save the stolen cats ... and ME?]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 9!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/327462</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 22 Jun 2007 09:19:53 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/327462</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), Orangina had just helped a lost kitten to safety and I ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), Orangina had just helped a lost kitten to safety and Iâd gotten nabbed by the bad guys! ***

Maybe Orangina knew how to escape from any cage, like Tracer had said, but I didnât!  I bounced around in the cage as Buck and Leroy toted me up the stairs, down the hall, back through the front room with the mattress and food wrappers, and out the front door.  The cage was harsh wire mesh, and I could see the floor and then the porch and the front path moving beneath me.   Buck tossed my cage into the bed of the pickup truck, among a bunch of empty cages, and Leroy tossed his empty cage in after mine.  I got to my feet as the truckâs doors slammed and Buck turned the ignition key. 

As the truck coughed into motion, Orangina rounded the corner of the house, galloping across the lawn.  Buck ground the clutch and the truck pulled away from the curb.  âOrangina!â  I yelled.  âI canât get out of the cage!â  Orangina was a flame-colored streak on the front path.  Without breaking her stride, she jumped, farther than Iâve ever seen a cat jump, her outstretched body slicing through the air like an arrow, her front paws grasping for the truckâs bumper, but she had jumped a heartbeat too late, a centimeter too short.  Her claws barely scraped the metal, and she landed hard on the pavement and skidded as the truck accelerated up the street.  

âBe brave, little sister!â  Orangina called after me, scrambling to her feet and running after the truck. âI will keep my promise to you!â  She was already getting smaller in the distance, as Buck shifted gears again, hit the gas, and ran a stop sign on the quiet street.  âHelp is on the way, Jubilee!â  The truck turned a corner, heading west, and my cage slid across the bed of the truck, colliding with the empty cages and knocking me over.

What had I gotten myself into?  Orangina had promised me that I would be safely home in time for breakfast, but I had no idea where I was going, or what would happen to me once I got there.  I had never been so scared in my life.

STAY TUNED!!!!  Yikes!!!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 8!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/327045</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 21 Jun 2007 08:55:51 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/327045</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), the cat thieves had just spotted a kitten accidentally ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), the cat thieves had just spotted a kitten accidentally left behind! Oh, no! ***

âDistract the men!â  In a flash, Orangina darted past Buck and Leroy, sprang towards the kitten and grabbed it by the scruff, and leaped onto the furniture pile.  

Distract?  But there was no time to think.  Buck and Leroy had already started across the basement after Orangina and the kitten.  I remembered what Pumpkin had said about how these men treated kittens, and I felt all my fur stand straight on end.  Meowing at the top of my lungs, I hurled myself at Leroy, and ran straight between his legs.  He bent over to grab me, but by the time his arms closed on empty air I had already doubled back through his legs, and Leroy lost his balance and crashed to the floor, dropping his flashlight.  Buck was reaching for Orangina.  She and the kitten were almost halfway to the window, but the kitten was slowing her down.  I jumped onto Buckâs back, with all my claws extended, and he howled and started running in circles.  I launched myself off of Buck and across the basement, heading for the stairs.  âHey!  Bad guys!â  I meowed.  âChase me!  Chase me!â  

âGet the one with the kitten!â Buck roared.  His boots thudded close behind me on the concrete floor.

âAw, man, I put my hand in cat poop!â Leroy sputtered, groping around for his flashlight.  

Orangina jumped from the seat of a splintery barstool to a teetery stack of magazines.  The terrified kitten flailed and thrashed, and Orangina landed with her claws scrabbling for a hold on the edge of the stack.  Leroy got to his feet and lumbered towards them.  I tried to dodge around Buck to pounce on Leroy, but Buck blocked my way with the open door of a cage.   

Just then, there were footsteps on the sidewalk outside the house, and a voice I knew, calling, âJuuuuuuuuuuuuuuubileeeeeeeee!  Juuuuuuuuuuuuuuubileeeeeeee!â  It was my mom!  Sheâd noticed I was gone and was looking for me!  Buck and Leroy froze.  

âSounds like someoneâs looking for a kitty,â Leroy snickered.

âIf theyâre looking for one of these, they better keep right on looking,â Buck grinned nastily.  

In the instant Leroy glanced away, Orangina recovered her balance and swiftly made the few final leaps to the window.  Leroy lunged after her, grabbing wildly.  The tip of her tail slipped through his Band-Aid covered fingers, and Orangina and the kitten slipped out the window to safety.  

âJuuuuuuuuuuuuuubileeeeeeeee...â  Her voice was getting fainter as she walked away.  My mom was looking for me.  She sounded really upset.  Maybe I should ...

Buckâs hand roughly seized the back of my neck, and he flung me into the wire cage.  He slammed the cage shut.   âCome on, letâs get out of here.â  

âBut we only got one cat!  Doc said he needed at least thirty!â

âI said, letâs go.â  Buck hoisted the cage and I tumbled over as he started up the stairs.  âDoc will just have to make do with one.â  

This wasnât the plan!  They were supposed to take both me and Orangina!  I had no idea how to stop the bad guys on my own!  I flung myself at the cage bars.  âYou better hope my mom never finds out about this, you bad cat-nappers!â  I yowled.  âORANGINA! HELP!â

STAY TUNED!!!! Oh, the suspense!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 7!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/326639</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 20 Jun 2007 09:50:10 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/326639</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), the cat-thieves had just arrived early at the abandone ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), the cat-thieves had just arrived early at the abandoned house!  Orangina and I have to help the cats! ***

I heard the truck doors open as Orangina and I hurried through a crack in the sagging front door.  Inside, the house smelled like smoke and mold.  There were spraypainted scribbles on some walls; other walls were blackened by fire, dripping mildewed wallpaper; a couple had collapsed.  We stepped around a stained mattress, empty bottles, fast-food wrappers, wadded clothing, broken glass.  

The front door knob turned.  

âThis way!â  Orangina ran down a hallway and down a flight of stairs.  

I could hear heavy booted feet, getting closer, as I sprinted down the staircase behind Orangina.  There were only a few cats left in the basement, and they were all climbing up a tall pile of boxes and old furniture and out the loose-boarded window, ten feet above the floor.  A calico mother carried a kitten in her mouth as she climbed.  The basement smelled strongly of cats.  There were piles of trash in the corners.   Tracer was pacing around the basement, checking the hidden places in shadows and corners, urging the escaping cats to hurry.

âTheyâre here!â  Orangina called.  The remaining cats surged towards the small opening as Orangina and I ran down the stairs.  âGo, Tracer.  Tell Ham and Pumpkin to get ready to follow us.â  Tracer nodded and leapt through the window, pushing the last cat ahead of him, just as two flashlight beams swept the basement walls.   

Orangina and I hid in the shadows behind the staircase.  I saw two sets of big feet, and hands carrying flashlights and metal cages.  The two men were close enough to smell, and Tracer was right; these didnât smell like men who helped cats.  I was very scared, but I was right beside Orangina, and she had promised I would be home in time for breakfast.  I could be brave.  

âBuck, where are all the dadblasted cats?â one of the men yelled.  âTheyâre gone!â  

âSHHHHHHHH!!!!â hissed the other man.  

âBuck, where are all the dadblasted cats?â the first man whispered hoarsely.  

âThere were dozens of the things here last night,â muttered Buck.  They were at the foot of the stairs, shining their flashlights around the basement.  The one who had yelled was tall and thin, Buck was shorter.  They were both wearing black jackets with hoods pulled over their heads.  Their hands were pale in the dark, and I was pleased to notice that both of them had Band-Aids on several fingers.  Those other cats had put up a fight!

âDoc is going to be real unhappy if we donât bring him back some cats tonight,â whispered the first man.  

âLeroy, will you shut up.â  Buck set down the metal cage he was carrying.  âThey must be hiding.  If you hadnât made so much fool noise coming down that hall.  Go look in the corners over there.â   He gestured with his flashlight at the pile of furniture and boxes beneath the window, and illuminated a tiny kitten, struggling to climb up the leg of the threadbare armchair at the base of the makeshift ladder.  In his haste, Tracer hadnât seen it.  But now the men had.

STAY TUNED!!!!  Things are starting to get exciting!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 6!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/326163</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 19 Jun 2007 08:48:37 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/326163</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), I had just agreed to act as bait for a couple of evil  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), I had just agreed to act as bait for a couple of evil cat-thieves, in order to help a courageous cat-gang rescue a group of homeless cats in danger! ***

âShouldnât somecat stay behind and, you know, monitor communications and stuff, like Uhura?â I asked, just out of curiosity, as the other cats prepared to leave.

All four cats lowered their heads respectfully.  âActually,â Orangina said gently, âthat used to be your sister Spikeâs job.â

âYou would have liked her,â Ham said.  

I didnât know what to say.  

âCome on, cats, we donât have much time.â  Pumpkin pushed her way past me, through the secret fence board.  

Tracer followed her, and the rest of us filed out, and threaded our way through the blackberry thicket, keeping close to the fence until we arrived at a the corner, where we huddled quickly.  

Orangina mapped out the plan.  âTracer, go in ahead of us and give the cats in the house the signal to leave.  Ham and Pumpkin, stay out of sight, and cover the back of the house.  As soon as the men take us, follow as fast as you can.â   With an easy leap, she was on top of the fence.  âNow, Jubilee, come with me.â  

I jumped over the fence after her, and the five of us moved swiftly across a back patio and through a yard, avoiding the patches of light spilling from windows.  When we came to another fence, this one chain-link, we pushed our way through a gap that Tracer showed us and we were in an overgrown back yard that smelled thick with cats.  The house was dark, windows boarded, with black soot on the outside walls around the window-holes.  New green shoots of wisteria and ivy were already springing from the burned, dead vines still covering the house.  Tracer silently ran ahead of us and slipped under a loose board hanging from a basement window.  Ham and Pumpkin peeled off to the right, keeping low under the untended rose bushes.  

I followed Orangina around the side of the house to the front.  We crouched in the shadows by the porch, to wait for the men.  Already I could hear the murmuring and meowing of dozens of cats as they began to flow out of the basement window, across the yard, and through the fence to safety.  

âWhat do we do when they get here?â  I whispered.  

âWe will get into the house before they do, help Tracer make sure there are no stragglers, and make the men chase us enough, before we let them catch us, that all the other cats have time to get out of the yard.â  

Headlights flashed across the house and a dirty pickup truck rattled to a stop right in front of the front gate.

Orangina hissed softly.  âTheyâre here already! Hurry, Jubilee, we must warn the others!â

STAY TUNED!!!! What will happen next?]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 5!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/325813</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 18 Jun 2007 11:56:15 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/325813</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), Orangina and her gang had just told me that two bad me ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), Orangina and her gang had just told me that two bad men were stealing homeless cats from an abandoned house for nefarious purposes!  The cats have a plan to stop the bad men, but they need my help! ***

âIâll help you,â I said.  âBut ... how did you know I have a microchip?â

Ham looked strong, and he had friendly green eyes and a squarish face.  He produced a small gadget with a blinking red dot on a screen.  He touched the dot with his paw.  âThatâs you, Jubilee.  It wasnât hard to tune in to your frequency.â  

âYou have got to be kidding me,â I said.  âI bet my mom wishes she had one of those!â  All the cats laughed.  

Orangina raised her paw for silence.  âTime is short.  Jubilee, here is our plan.  All the cats will leave the house and not return until it is safe.  Tracer will make sure they get to safety.  You and I will wait in the house and when the men come, looking for many cats, they will find only two.â

My pupils dilated.  âYou mean ...â

âBe brave, little sister.  They will take us.  Ham and Pumpkin will follow us, tracking our microchips.  We will free the trapped cats and stop those men from hurting more of us.â

âWhat will we do once we get to ... wherever they take us?  Theyâll probably put us in cages and ...â  I felt my neck-fur stiffen.

Tracer chuckled.  âOrangina here can open any cage you put her in.â

âAnd Iâve gotten out of a few cages in my time,â Pumpkin bragged, preening her long whiskers.

âIâll be with you, Jubilee,â Orangina said, and reassuringly nuzzled my forehead.  âI promise, you will be home for breakfast.  Now, we have to go.â

âDo I get one of those cool tracker-things?â I asked hopefully.

âSorry, little one,â Ham said, passing a tracker to Pumpkin and strapping on his own, âyou and Orangina are going undercover.â

STAY TUNED!!!!  The mission is underway!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 4!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/325344</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 17 Jun 2007 09:25:10 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/325344</guid>
		<description>*** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), I had just met a group of cats in a secret hideout: Or ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ *** When we last saw our brave heroine (me!), I had just met a group of cats in a secret hideout: Orangina, the leader; Ham, a grey cat; Tracer, a black cat; and Pumpkin, a tortoiseshell. ***

âWhoâs coming?  What house?  What cats?â I asked.

Ham explained, âA house where there was a fire.  The humans have gone.  Homeless cats have moved in.â  

âTwo human males have been taking the cats,â Tracer continued.  He was smaller than Ham, but older, with battle-scarred ears and a no-nonsense manner.  âWe donât know where they take them.  But the cats donât come back.â

âMaybe theyâre taking them to a shelter,â I said.  âThatâs not so bad.â  

Tracer shook his head.  âNo.  They donât smell like men who help cats.â  

Pumpkinâs ears flattened again.  âThese are bad men.  They hurt some kittens.  Said they were too small to be worth anything.  Took their mother away, and the kittens ...â  She didnât finish, but her lips drew back in a silent snarl.  

âTonight,â Orangina said, âtheyâre coming for all the cats.  Theyâve been taking two or three at a time, but yesterday a cat from the house told me that she overheard them.  Theyâre going to take all of them tonight.  We need you to help us stop them.â

âBut why me?â I asked.  âAnd why donât all the cats just leave the house?â

âWe need you, little sister, for several reasons,â Orangina replied.  âYou did manage to get out of your house tonight.  We need someone with those skills.  And, you have a microchip.  We all do, but none of the cats in the house do.  Finally ...â  she glanced around at the other cats, as if not sure how to phrase her next reason.

Pumpkin saved her the trouble.  âYour mom will go bananas if youâre missing at breakfast-time.  We need a safety-net.â

Those reasons made no sense to me, but cats like to speak in riddles.  âAnd why donât all the cats just leave the house?â I asked again.

âThe men will just keep coming back, unless we stop them,â Ham said.  

Oranginaâs tail twitched with anger.  âAnd we will stop them.  This ends tonight.â

STAY TUNED!!!!  What do the cats have planned????]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>My awesome adventure, Part 3!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/325022</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 16 Jun 2007 09:45:01 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/325022</guid>
		<description>&acirc;Follow me,&acirc; said the orange tabby, and without a backward glance disappeared into the thickest  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ âFollow me,â said the orange tabby, and without a backward glance disappeared into the thickest part of the blackberry bramble.  

It seemed this night held even more adventure than I had hoped!  I leaped after the tabby, and followed her through the tight tangle of thorns.  âWhere are we going?â I called to her, as she threaded her way ahead of me.

âA safe place.  The night can be dangerous, little one, and there are those who need protecting.  You can help us.â  As the tabby spoke (or, rather, communicated her thoughts directly to me, the way all cats can do with one another) we came to a section of fence hidden beneath the vines.  Cats like to speak in riddles, but still I wondered what the tabby could be talking about.  Before I could even form a question, though, the tabby pushed at a loose board with her paw, and slipped through the fence.  âHurry!â  

I hurried after the flicker of orange-striped tail.  On the other side of the fence, my eyes widened and my tail stood straight up in wonder.  We were still inside the blackberry bush, and the brambles concealed this place.  âCool!  A secret hideout!â I said, impressed.  A big silvery-grey tom was closely conferring with a ragged-eared black tom over a table of maps, while a very plump tortoiseshell wearing a headset peered at a computer monitor.

The tortie looked up from her computer when we entered, and flattened her ears.  âYou took long enough, Orangina,â she muttered.  

But the other two cats politely greeted me, âWell-met by moonlight, little sister,â although their voices were tense.

âWell-met by moonlight, fellow cats,â I replied.  I tried to sound calm but my heart was hammering.  âNow, please tell me, why do you need my help?â

Oranginaâs eyes darkened.  âTheyâre coming tonight to a house nearby.  No cat they take ever returns.â 

STAY TUNED!!!!  I can hardly wait to see what happens!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>My amazing adventures, continued!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/324713</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 15 Jun 2007 13:39:29 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/324713</guid>
		<description>When last we left our brave heroine (me!), I had just made a daring leap from Mom&acirc;s first-floor ba ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ When last we left our brave heroine (me!), I had just made a daring leap from Momâs first-floor balcony and landed safely in the vacant lot next door.  I could hardly believe it, but I was outside, with no adult supervision!  I was so happy that I just flopped down and rolled in the leaves for awhile, enjoying their smell and their slippery feel and their rustly sound.  

But after a while I realized Iâd better use my time wisely, because soon Mom would notice I was gone and come looking for me.  So, first priority, find a hiding place.  That would be easy!  The big live-oak is in the center of the lot, and one side ends in a drop down to the parking area under Momâs building, but the other side and both ends are jungles of honeysuckle vines and tall weeds (the biggest dandelions youâve ever seen!  The puffballs are bigger than my head!) and, best of all, blackberry brambles full of stickers.  I knew that if I heard Mom coming I could just dart into a clump of brambles and not only could she not see me, she wouldnât be able to come in after me.  Ha ha!  

I was nibbling on a stalk of grass when my neck-fur prickled with the approach of another cat.  

âWell-met by moonlight, little sister,â said the orange tabby.  I recognized her.  From Momâs upstairs balcony (too high for me to jump from!), Iâd seen her patrolling the fence on the other side of the lot.   âIt is good you chose tonight to join us outside.  We need your help.â

STAY TUNED!!!!  Youâll never guess what happens next!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>My big night out!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/324185</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 14 Jun 2007 11:20:10 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/324185</guid>
		<description>Okay, that last entry was the &quot;official&quot; version that I had Mom type for me.  Gather round, indoor c ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Okay, that last entry was the "official" version that I had Mom type for me.  Gather round, indoor cats, 'cause Mom isn't looking right now and I've taken over her computer to report the details of my secret mission to explore the outdoors! 

It was a beautiful spring night.  Mom and my Uncle Brendan were watching TV, Dad was washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen; he opened the balcony door to get some air.  (Mom said she couldn't really be mad at him for it because it happened in the course of him doing housework, tee hee!)  No one noticed as I quietly walked onto the balcony.  The warm air smelled so sweet that I got an irresistible urge to roam the night, after so many nights spent in shelters, and hospitals, even curled up next to Mom.  I smelled the air, and gauged the distance of the jump.  There was a nice landing place of dead leaves on the other side of the gap.  I could do it.  And I jumped!

On the other side, I looked over my shoulder -- Mom, Dad, and Uncle Brendan were all in the living room watching TV and hadn't noticed my departure.  I'd made it!  The night was mine!   

STAY TUNED!!!!  For the next few days, I'll be sneaking moments when I can to tell you the tale of my adventures!  Oops, here comes Mom!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Night-time hijinks!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/323332</link>

				<pubdate>Tue, 12 Jun 2007 09:57:24 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/323332</guid>
		<description>Mom says that if humans have nine lives like us cats, I scared her out of at least one of them last  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom says that if humans have nine lives like us cats, I scared her out of at least one of them last night! 

Dad forgot and opened the sliding glass door that goes to the kitchen balcony, and when no one was looking I sneaked onto the balcony and from there made a daring leap to freedom!  It's about a five-foot horizontal jump from the balcony, over a ten-foot drop to the parking area under the building, to the vacant lot next door.  She did not see my little body lying broken in the parking area, so Mom knew I had made the jump okay and was in the vacant lot somewhere.  The vacant lot is overgrown with sticker bushes and has a couple of big oak trees filled with birds and squirrels.  Cat paradise!!!  Mom looked and looked for me last night with a flashlight, but I hid from her.  

Finally Mom went to bed, telling herself that I am a cat, after all, and would be fine just fine, after all I made it on my own when I was a stray, and Spike spent lots of time outside ... but she couldn't help thinking, what if I were to get hit by a car, or hurt by a mean raccoon or a big dog, and how sad she would be if I never came home, especially since we only found each other so recently and plus it's less than three months since Spike went to the Bridge and what would she do if she lost another cat so soon ...  She didn't sleep well.

Anyway, this morning Mom woke up bright and early and took my bag of crunchies and went outside and circled the building a couple of times, calling for me.  No dice.  Finally, the second or third time Mom did the circle-the-building-with-food thing, she spotted me -- watching her search for me from the high branches of a big tree!  Ha ha!!!!  

Well, long story short, I let her talk me down from the tree and came inside for my breakfast.  Now I am feeling very full of myself after my big all-night adventure!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Tag! -- Round 2</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/318655</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 1 Jun 2007 12:49:37 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/318655</guid>
		<description>What a fun game!  I have learned so many fun facts about my friends, and made new friends too!  Sinc ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ What a fun game!  I have learned so many fun facts about my friends, and made new friends too!  Since I first wrote my 7 things and tagged my 7 cats, I have been further tagged by Billy, His Royal Greyness "Grey Boy," Girl, and Isaac.   So I thought that it might be fun to add another 7 facts about myself.

1) I love the plastic caps from bottled water!!!  They are my favorite toy!  Mom and I play hockey with them (I always win), and I pick them up in my mouth and carry them around.
2) Around 4 in the afternoon, I come find Mom and meow at her to remind her it's time for my clicker play time.
3) I sleep under the covers with Mom, curled up right next to her.
4) I am not afraid of strangers!  Mom introduces me to everyone who comes over, and I love the attention.
5)  When Mom first met me at the shelter, my name was Julep.  That's how Mom knew from the start that my sister Spike had sent me to her -- because Julep used to be a nickname of Mom's (she has friends who still call her Julep, in fact), so when she saw that name on the cage, she had to meet me, and of course she fell in love with me on the spot.  Later, she saw my paperwork from the cat rescue group that brought me to the shelter, and saw that I had previously been called both Mindy and Heidi.  It's too awful to think about, but she might never even have noticed me if my name hadn't been changed to Julep!  
6) Right before I start purring really loud, I first take a few deep breaths, as though I'm pulling the starter cord on an outboard motor : "Hhhhhhhr .... Hhhhhhhhhhhr ... HHHHHHHHR ... PURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR...!"
7) This morning, I went for my first walk outside with my walking jacket and leash!  The sensation of the walking jacket is pretty weird, and so is being on a leash and not being able to run and hide and climb wherever I want, but Mom is right there next to me and she praises and pets me a lot, and she lets me lead, so it's not bad.  We put on my jacket and leash upstairs, and then Mom let me lead her down the stairs, one ... at ... a ... time.  Then Mom let me explore the living room with the leash on, so I could get the idea that if I go underneath something or get tangled, the leash will stop and so will I, until Mom untangles me.  Then, and this is my favorite part, Mom opened the door and stood there next to me, not saying anything or moving, just holding the leash slightly loose and letting me set the pace, while I crouched in the doorway and just smelled things and listened and looked around.  I even took a few steps outside!  Afterwards, I got a tasty piece of turkey -- yum!!!

It's gotten really tough to find 7 untagged cats (or dogs), so I think I'll just sit that part out this round, if that's okay.  

Nose kisses to all!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Home Sweet Home</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/318083</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 31 May 2007 10:24:08 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/318083</guid>
		<description>Wow, it's been two weeks now since Mom brought me home.  It seems like a lifetime ago, and in a way  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Wow, it's been two weeks now since Mom brought me home.  It seems like a lifetime ago, and in a way it was, when I was in that shelter hospital, sick and alone, with no idea that I was so close to my forever home.  

In just two weeks I've learned neat clicker skills, worn a walking jacket and walked on a leash, had my picture taken about a squillion times and sent to the far corners of the world, made a whole lot of great new cat and dog friends, met lots of new humans and acquired a new human relative (my mom's newest nephew, who was born on May 25), even had my diary picked for Diary of the Day!   What a fortnight!  And I'm just getting started!  

Most of all, I've bonded really closely with my mom.  She could tell I was an affectionate, social kitty when she first met me at the shelter (in fact, on my intake papers from the cat-rescue group, my personality was rated "very outgoing" and "very sweet cat!"  -- c'est moi, *tee hee*!) but I keep surpassing Mom's wildest dreams of just how adoring and adorable a kitty can be.  Mom has no doubt at all that my sister Spike sent me to her and is watching my progress with approval from the Bridge.

Over the past few nights, I've concluded that sleeping on top of the covers next to Mom is not the best arrangement; I want to be close to her, but the moving limbs under the sheets and comforter are targets just too tempting not to pounce on.  Mom is not a huge fan of that game (although Dad thinks it's pretty funny).  So instead, I ask Mom to lift up the covers for me, and I just burrow underneath and curl up right next to Mom.  Comfy!!!  

It's been a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious first two weeks!  Stay tuned, gentle readers!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>O, happy day!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/316785</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 28 May 2007 19:41:14 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/316785</guid>
		<description>Gentle readers, you'll be relieved to know that I did forgive my Mom last night, and things are once ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Gentle readers, you'll be relieved to know that I did forgive my Mom last night, and things are once again blissful.

Last night before she went to bed, she emptied the trash can in her bedroom, put double-sided tape around the rim, and fastened it temporarily to the wall with a piece of tape.  So much for the "Hidden Treasure!" game.  On the other hand, I got rewarded with Cat Dancer playtime and lots of petting when I walked away from the trash can instead of trying to pull it over.  And Mom was gone again for a long time today, at a Memorial Day cookout at Dad's (he lives about a five-minute walk from Mom), but when she came home she didn't try to push me into a training session, just instead let me guide her.  I wanted to be petted and fussed over, and it was a little past my dinnertime, so she gave me some love and some dinner, and all is well with the world.

You see?  Don't lose hope -- you CAN train your person!

By the way, Mom and her humans watched "Pan's Labyrinth" last night.  I watched most of the movie from Mom's lap and it was AMAZING!!!!!!  If you and your people haven't seen it yet, I can't recommend it highly enough!  Be warned, it is most assuredly NOT for children.  But it is visually ravishing, and the story is disturbing yet heart-rending and true in the way the best fairy tales are.  Four paws up, all sixteen of my jellybean toepads!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>grrrrrrrrrrrr</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/316299</link>

				<pubdate>Sun, 27 May 2007 20:07:51 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/316299</guid>
		<description>I am NOT happy.  

First of all, Mom won't let me play this great new game called &quot;Hidden Treasure ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I am NOT happy.  

First of all, Mom won't let me play this great new game called "Hidden Treasure!," which I made up all by myself and is really, really fun.  To play, just stand up on your hind legs and use your front paws to pull over any trash can, spilling its amazing riches onto the floor!  Mom says she doesn't want to have to explain to a veterinarian how certain items in her trash became lodged in my digestive tract.  So whenever I start to jump up to pull the trash can over, Mom says, "NO!" and makes me stop.  The nerve!!!

But wait, it gets worse.  Mom left me alone almost all afternoon!  She works at home (and has even adjusted her work schedule for the next couple of months to avoid having to travel and leave me) so this is the longest I've been left by myself since I got here.  I didn't know if she was ever going to come back!  Once she finally got home, just waltzed in like it was no big deal that I'd been alone for almost six hours, it was time for clicker class.  She actually tried to give me cheese, not tuna, for my treats!  Sometimes I like cheese, sure, but after the day's previous indignities, I was not about to "Sit" or jump onto a stool for anything less than albacore.  So Mom tried mixing the last spoonful of a can of tuna in with the little cheese cubes, but first of all, that can had been open in the fridge for a couple of days, and second of all, did she really think that she could dupe me into eating a piece of tuna-scented cheese as a treat?!  I was balky and cranky during clicker time, and then I came upstairs and hid under the bed.  

When I finally came out, I made a point of walking right around Mom, who was sitting on the bed, but not acknowledging or touching her.  When she tried to pet me, I'd just melt away from her touch and walk away.  Hah!  Right now I'm lying behind her on her desk chair, but only because I happen to want to be on this chair, NOT because I want to share the chair with Mom.  

But don't worry, gentle readers.  After another hour or two of the silent treatment, I'll probably forgive her -- I think she's learned her lesson.]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Clicks For Cats -- Now recruiting!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/315084</link>

				<pubdate>Fri, 25 May 2007 16:48:03 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/315084</guid>
		<description>Hey gentle readers, 

My pal Leopold started a brand-new group for clicker cats, and invited me to ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hey gentle readers, 

My pal Leopold started a brand-new group for clicker cats, and invited me to be an administrator!  I feel so grown-up and professional!  The group is called "Clicks for Cats."  Anycat can join!  It's all about clicker training for cats ... um, in case you couldn't tell by the name.  We will provide a fun, educational place to share experiences and ask questions and share tips about clicker training.  So check it out, whether you clicker train or not, we'd love to have you!  Woo-hoo!

Also, I'll be posting some of my clicker adventures there, so that I have space to write about other things in my diary.  Neat-o, huh?

... Before I start doing that, however:  I have gotten very good at targeting -- I am well on my way to fulfilling Mom's obstacle course dreams for me (I don't know why, but Mom's got this image in her mind of, like, a circus ring filled with hoops and tall stools, and herself standing in the center of it dressed like a ringmaster while I, in a spangly costume, no less, leap through the hoops and onto the stools ... honestly, where would such a thing as a circus ring even fit in this apartment??? ...) and I am making good progress in learning "Sit."  Also, today, instead of trying to raid the treat bowl, I kept doing things that had earned me a click (and a treat) before -- sitting down, jumping on a stool -- without being cued.  I am such a clever girl!  Mom is very proud of me -- she says I am her shiny little Miss Kitty Fantastico (nauseating, huh?).

Stay tuned, gentle readers!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Tag!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/312433</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 23 May 2007 10:55:00 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/312433</guid>
		<description>I got tagged by a bunch of cat friends yesterday: Spot, Julie, Squeakers, Felix, Veruca, and Bella!  ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I got tagged by a bunch of cat friends yesterday: Spot, Julie, Squeakers, Felix, Veruca, and Bella! 

The rules: Each player starts with seven random facts about themselves. Cats who are tagged need to write on their own blog about the seven things and the rules. You need to choose seven cats to tag and list their names. Donât forget to leave them a comment that they have been tagged and to read your blog.  (I cut and pasted the rules from Spot's diary -- hope you don't mind, Spot!)

So here are my Seven Amazing Facts About Me, Jubilee:
1) I have a little black mark on the sole of my left hind paw that looks like a heart.
2) I love to be picked up and held or carried.  I purr like crazy!
3) Mom wonders where I was and what adventures I had before we met, but I'll never tell!
4) I am a Mama's Girl!  I am happiest when I am not just near Mom, but on her lap, or right behind her on her desk chair, or curled up in the crook of her knees while she's sleeping.
5) I have a running feud with the cat in the mirror -- where does that cat come from, and why does she do everything I do?
6) I can go from the office windowsill to my treehouse to the small side table to Mom's desk to the desk chair without ever touching the floor.
7) I love having my picture taken, including with stuff on me!  Mom has already sent in a bunch to Stuff On My Cat!

Now, off to tag these seven cats (I don't have to tag thirty-six cats, do I?):
Binks
Gromit
Leopold
Miss Dback
Dexter (1990-2005)
Charlie Clarence
McKenna

Thanks for inviting me to play!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>I was Diary Of The Day yesterday!!!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/312357</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 23 May 2007 09:47:25 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/312357</guid>
		<description>I can still hardly believe it!!!  What an honor!  Mom is SO proud of me!  Thank you soooooooo much t ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I can still hardly believe it!!!  What an honor!  Mom is SO proud of me!  Thank you soooooooo much to all the cats and pups who sent rosettes and pawmails and friend invitations!  You all really made me feel special.  It was a great day.  

Ironically, I was so busy yesterday that I didn't have time to write a new diary entry, but something neat happened during my clicker session yesterday afternoon.  Mom and I were on the bed; she had the tuna in a small bowl on her lap, covered with a plastic lid, and a little plate on the bed to put my treat on.  We're still working on targeting.  She noticed that I was trying to raid the bowl less, and going directly for the target more, even if she held the target so that I had to walk past the bowl to get to it.  Then, about halfway through the lesson, at one point Mom was a little slow with my treat.  I looked at the plate, like "Where's my tuna?!", then looked back at Mom and touched the target again, and looked back at the plate.  Eureka!!!!!  Mom gave me an extra-big tuna treat then!  And sure enough, every time I heard the clicker after that, I looked down at the plate to wait for my treat.   Now that Mom knows I get the whole action-click-treat idea, we can really start learning some fun stuff!  Woo-hoo!

Stay tuned, gentle readers!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Humans do strange things!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/311110</link>

				<pubdate>Mon, 21 May 2007 13:20:33 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/311110</guid>
		<description>Hi everyone!  Things are going great!  

Now that I've had some time to observe my mom in her natu ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Hi everyone!  Things are going great!  

Now that I've had some time to observe my mom in her natural habitat, I've concluded that she does some stuff that's just plain weird.  Listen to this!

She changes her fur every day!  Sometimes more than once!  
She spends hours tapping on the computer keyboard, but she won't let me walk on it at all.  How unfair is that??!
Sometimes, she deliberately turns on machines that make loud, unpleasant noises, and then stays near the machines while the noise is going on.  Brave, or just not too bright, I ask you?
She uses the beautiful big bowl of fresh, cold water as a litterbox -- completely illogical!
And, get ready for this, on a regular basis she TAKES OFF ALL HER FUR AND STANDS UNDER RUNNING WATER!!!   The first time I saw her do this, I couldn't believe it; I had to stick my head around the corner of the curtain to make sure that it was really happening.  I tried to talk some sense into her, but she stayed under that water for almost ten minutes, no matter how much I begged her to come out.

Weird!!!!! 

I really do love my mom, but are all humans like her?  How on earth did we cats ever manage to train such an irrational species to run the planet for us?]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>My first day of school!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/310408</link>

				<pubdate>Sat, 19 May 2007 13:21:19 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/310408</guid>
		<description>Mom and I just finished my first clicker training class.  We practiced something called &quot;targeting.&quot; ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Mom and I just finished my first clicker training class.  We practiced something called "targeting."  First mom just clicked the clicker and gave me a little tiny bit of tuna at the same time she clicked.  She did that a few times.  I LOOOOOOOOOVE tuna!!!!  Then mom held a chopstick, and clicked when I touched my nose to the end, then gave me a bit of tuna.  But only when my nose touched the end, not when I rubbed against her hand or tried to raid the tuna stash.  I don't see why I should go to the trouble of touching a target for tuna, when I could just get some from the bowl, but Mom kept the bowl covered and in her lap so I couldn't sneak any, no matter how hard I tried.  I couldn't help trying, that tuna smelled so appetizing!  We only played until I'd had a small teaspoon of tuna, because Mom didn't want to spoil my dinner or upset my tummy.  I'm not quite sure yet what the whole connection is between touching the target, hearing the click, and getting tuna, but I do know that I love tuna and I love attention from Mom, so it's a pretty fun game.  Mom says I did a good job for our first time and that I'll be able to run an obstacle course soon!

By the way, if anycat reading this has been clicker trained,or if your mom or dad knows about it, I'd love to hear your tips and advice!  So drop me a pawmail!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Ahoy there!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/309859</link>

				<pubdate>Thu, 17 May 2007 17:52:28 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/309859</guid>
		<description>I love to explore!   I started bright and early today, and I'm already tired of staying in Mom's off ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ I love to explore!   I started bright and early today, and I'm already tired of staying in Mom's office -- I want to play everywhere!  There are closets full of shoes to smell, dust-bunnies to roll in under the bed, windows to look out of, and furniture to jump and climb on.  Hooray!  I especially like following Mom around the house, and climbing onto her lap for petting every time she sits down.  

Mom is amazed at how fast I'm adjusting to my new home.  The only thing I don't like is when men with big shoes come up the stairs.  I hid when Daddy came home last night, and again today when a friend of Mom's came to visit.  But soon I peeked my little head out, and came over to introduce myself, and wasn't scared anymore.   

It's almost dinner time!]]></content:encoded>
	</item>
	

	<item>
		<title>Howdy everyone!</title>
		<link>http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/309585</link>

				<pubdate>Wed, 16 May 2007 21:36:20 PDT</pubdate>
		<author>Jubilee ~ writing at catster.com</author>
		<category></category>		
		<guid ispermalink="true">http://www.catster.com/cats/542518/diary/Jubilees_diary_of_daily_jubilation/309585</guid>
		<description>Wow!  I am in a brand-new forever home at last!  I am so happy.  My new mom brought me home from the ...</description>

		<content:encoded><![CDATA[ Wow!  I am in a brand-new forever home at last!  I am so happy.  My new mom brought me home from the shelter today.  She has her home office all set up for me!  There's a treehouse, lots of soft comfy pillows to lie on, and a snuggly bed, a litterbox and food and water and toys, and places to scratch and climb and hide.  Mom was worried that spending so long in the hospital might have made me shy around people -- ha ha!  Boy, was she wrong!  When we got home and up to my room, I jumped right out of my carrier, ready to explore and play.  It's only been a few hours, but I'm already sitting on Mom's lap and helping her type at the computer.  I even got Mom to take me on a supervised tour of the rest of the house, and then happily followed her back to my "catopia" room.  She's very impressed with me!

Mom has big plans for me!  She intends to teach me to walk on a leash with a harness, and something called clicker training.  I'm not sure yet what that is, but I hope it will be fun!  I'll tell you all about it in my diary, so be sure to check in and see how I'm doing.]]></content:encoded>
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